‘Post to stay with Bersatu’

PETALING JAYA: The new Education Minister will be from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), according to sources.

They also described Dr Maszlee Malik’s resignation as a “one-off” and not a sign of an impending Cabinet reshuffle.

“The one who will be helming the Education Ministry will be from among the 26 Bersatu MPs and very unlikely to be a senator sworn in just for that post.

“Bersatu will not want to give up this precious ministry to PKR, DAP or Amanah, even though they are in the same coalition.

“Of course, it will be the prerogative of the Prime Minister to announce who will be the next Education Minister but knowing his style, he will announce it to the Bersatu supreme council meeting first before announcing it.

“He will have to get the Bersatu leaders to be on board with his decision as the most likely candidate at present is a former Umno minister who crossed over. He has no post in the party, ” said a source.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said that a Cabinet reshuffle would only likely take place before Malaysia hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November.

The sources named former minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, the Jeli MP who was once the higher education minister under the Barisan Nasional government of then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who left Umno on September 2018 and joined Bersatu about a month later.

“He is experienced and Pakatan only has three more years to show some fruitful changes in the current education system, which has been a constant worry for the Prime Minister, ” said the source.

“At the next Bersatu supreme council meeting, Tun might have to do some explanation to soothe ruffled feelings among some Bersatu leaders who think it is too early for Tok Pa to be holding any ministerial post, as he is not even allowed to hold a party post since he crossed over, ” said the source.

Those who crossed over to Bersatu from Barisan are not allowed to hold any party positions until after the next general election but there is no barring any of them from holding a Cabinet post.

In his resignation announcement on Thursday, Maszlee said that he was a victim of media assassination despite his attempts to reform the education system.

As at press time, a petition to reinstate Maszlee has garnered over 360,000 signatures. - Star