Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s highly anticipated cabinet reshuffle is seen as underwhelming, with one expert calling it “nothing extraordinary”.
Independent political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said the changes were “not transformational” for Anwar's cabinet.
“Key ministerial positions are left the same, meaning he’s confident that his administration is doing well despite what some polls may suggest,” he told Malaysiakini.
While he commended the appointment of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) CEO Amir Hamzah Azizan as a second finance minister, Khoo said it would have been better if Anwar relinquished his role as finance minister.
“Amir is a good addition but I’m unsure if it is the right time to pull him away from EPF now.
“We need a real focus on economic growth, innovation, creating high-value jobs, promoting high-tech investment and of course, addressing old age poverty,” he added.
“I don’t see anything drastic here. Unless it's like the Indonesian case where a successful techpreneuer Sandiaga Uno was appointed as a minister (tourism and creative economy).
“We need a real chancellor and an economic strategist in the cabinet. Anwar should have relinquished the Dr Mahathir Mohamad era practice of a prime minister also holding the finance portfolio. It’s not healthy or effective,” Khoo stressed.
He also opined that the return of Gobind Singh Deo as a minister - while his brother Ramkarpal Singh was dropped as a deputy law and institutional reforms minister - might be related.
“Gobind may be replacing his reluctant brother who has always been more comfortable being a backbencher,” Khoo said.
He added that while bringing back Dzulkefly Ahmad as health minister might be prudent, it is not a long-term solution.
“Dzulkefly is a steady hand but he was supposed to retire. Malaysia needs ministers who can devote more time to bring real change through good policies and implementation.”
Dzulkefly is replacing Dr Zaliha Mustafa who is moving to the Prime Minister’s Department.
Gobind was named digital minister and Titiwangsa MP Johari Abdul Ghani was appointed plantation and commodities minister.
Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi, on the other hand, said that Amir's appointment allowed corporate players to be involved in government administration.
"We used to only have (Investment, Trade and Industry minister Tengku) Zafrul (Abdul Aziz) but (Amir's appointment) now allows those with corporate background to help the administration in depth," he told Malaysiakini.
Awang also described Johari, Dzulkefly and Gobind’s return to the cabinet as Anwar's way of fulfilling the "rakyat's wishlist".
On Zaliha, Awang said her new role as minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) was not a "downgrade" as it was an important role to fill.
"Not many people are aware of the portfolio’s importance as it rarely gets a space in the media but it's vital, particularly in the civil sector," he added.
As for Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail remaining in his portfolio despite facing criticism, Awang opined that Anwar had his "own methods" of evaluating the minister's performance.
‘Be wary of bloated cabinet’
Political scientist Wong Chin Huat saw some positive moves in the reshuffle but concurred with Khoo that Anwar should have stepped down as finance minister.
“The injection of former ministers like Dzulkefly, Johari and Gobind as well as technocrat Amir - and the promotion of (Steven) Sim are positive moves.
“However, Anwar should have just relinquished his finance portfolio and let Amir be his own man.
“This is healthier than copying Mahathir’s style of appointing himself as minister and getting a second minister,” he said.
“Other than Zaliha’s transfer, the dropping of (human resources minister V) Sivakumar - whose performance has not been up to mark, with his former assistants arrested for corruption is long expected,” he added.
Wong said many anticipated a change of guard at the Education and Agriculture and Food Security Ministries - which are held by Fadhlina Sidek and Mohamad Sabu, respectively.
“The reshuffling is limited especially at the ministerial level, as Anwar is confined by multiple considerations on party hierarchy, ethnicity, gender, generation and state.
“Both Umno and DAP got rewarded with an extra ministerial position in a clear move to reward them for their loyalty and strengthen both parties’ standing amongst voters.”
Wong also struck a note of caution over the expansion of the number of ministers and deputy ministers in the line-up from 55 to 60, saying it was alarming.
“Hopefully, the number won’t rise further for the remainder of the term. We should learn to have a compact executive team,” he stressed.
‘Need for experience benefits Umno’
National Council of Professors chairperson Shamsul Amri Baharuddin felt that Anwar’s need for experience seems to benefit those from Umno.
He contrasted the experience of Umno veterans like Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Mohamad Hasan, Zambry Abdul Kadir, Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Johari with some relative newcomers from Pakatan Harapan.
“Since 2018, the Harapan government and the next two administrations have had a crop of totally brand new ministers, but many didn’t last long, selected by one government and dropped by the next one.
“On average they were only good as deputy ministers,” he claimed.
Shamsul said Anwar made the most of a tough job in keeping the government stable.
“His power of persuasion was in full force to make the unity government work. Still, he only received 50 percent marks for his first year as PM.
“Umno joining him is a godsend for two reasons in that he got the dream job of PM and a host of multi-term MPs and senior ministers from Umno,” he added. - Mkini
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