INTERVIEW | Cabinet members of the ruling Pakatan Harapan government have not yet had their positions as ministers gazetted, according to de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong.
"That is quite interesting. The ministerial functions order has been given the ‘okay’ by the chief secretary.
"We have actually discussed it, but as of today, I think it is still waiting to be gazetted," Liew said at a group interview in Putrajaya recently.
He said this when asked whether the ministers' functions have been gazetted, under the Ministerial Functions Act.
A check with the Federal Gazette shows that following the change of government after the May 9 general election, only Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has had his job gazetted, as of May 22 last year.
By comparison, BN had its 2013 cabinet line-up gazetted on June 26, 2013, almost two months after that year's election.
The gazette is meant to formalise the duties of each minister and list the agencies and departments that fall under his or her purview.
It is not clear why the Harapan government has yet to gazette its ministers.
Without the gazetting of their positions, Liew said, this got in the way of some of their functions, as well their ability to hire.
"It affects our functions, and certain payments, salaries... the movement of certain officers," he said.
Other than this, Liew indicated that the government was functioning as usual, with he himself heading 10 agencies, including the Insolvency Department.
On plans to place key agencies, such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission under the authority of Parliament, Liew said this would take some time as there were many procedural matters to deal with. - Mkini
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