CEP still needed, says Mahathir

The prime minister also says former finance minister Daim Zainuddin will continue to head Council of Eminent Persons.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says many of his ministers were new but he needed to work fast and needed some people who have some experience to sort out things.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) is still needed as its members have a lot of experience to sort out various important issues, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said though the government had its full Cabinet now, many of the ministers were “new and have no experience to sort out certain issues”.

“Our Cabinet, I have to admit, has no experience. Many of them (ministers) are new. But I need to work fast. I need some people who have some experience to sort out things.

“The new ministers don’t even know the kind of responsibilities they have in the ministries. They are finding their way; they cannot be doing a lot of investigations,” he said.

Mahathir, who is PPBM chairman spoke to reporters after launching the party’s inaugural town hall meeting today.

He said Daim Zainuddin would continue to head the CEP.

The advisory group would continue with a new and better role, he said.

When asked about the appointment of Muhammed Abdul Khalid, the managing director and chief economist at DM Analytics Malaysia, as his economic adviser, Mahathir said: “Adviser for me. He is not going to be with CEP. I need to have a constant analysis of what is happening in our country economically.”

Muhammed is also a former Khazanah Research Institute director.

The Prime Minister’s Office appointed Muhammed as the economic adviser to Mahathir effective Aug 27. - FMT