Harapan not against reshuffle, Anwar says he has not applied

Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) leaders today agreed for the cabinet reshuffle to take place following the coalition's crushing defeat at Tanjung Piai by-election last weekend.

This was told by the Harapan presidential council chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the party's presidential council meeting at the Yayasan Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya today.

Asked about the overall sentiment about the cabinet reshuffle, Mahathir said: "they are not against it."

However, Mahathir said he hasn't made a decision on who will be removed from their ministerial positions.

When asked whether PKR president Anwar Ibrahim (above) would be brought into the ministerial line-up, Mahathir said "everything is possible."

Anwar, who sat next to Mahathir, was heard saying, "I did not apply (for ministerial position).

Last Wednesday, Mahathir revealed about the plan to have a cabinet reshuffle and that it might take place before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be hosted by Malaysia in November next year.

The Prime Minister said that they have discussed and identified on the causes which brought to the defeat in Tanjung Piai and the issues were discussed amicably among the leaders.

"I explained the problems that we face..that we are not free to do anything we like. We have to understand the sentiment expressed by people.

"We have to remember that we are the government of five parties and that it's not easy to change the government," he said.

Mahathir said that everyone in the meeting admitted to their mistakes and the leaders shared a lot of ideas and advice on the government's plans and initiatives.

He said that the people's sentiments have to be taken into account.

"If they point out that we have not done anything, we will correct that. If they point out that we must reshuffle, we will also consider," he added. - Mkini