Malaysia’s PM Anwar names 27 deputy ministers to complete his leadership team
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday named 27 deputy ministers for his unity government, seven days after naming his Cabinet ministers.
The names were unveiled at a news conference in Malaysia’s administrative capital of Putrajaya after they were approved by the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, earlier on Friday.
The deputy ministers will be sworn in before the King at 3 pm on Saturday.
Datuk Seri Anwar on Dec 2 unveiled a slightly smaller Cabinet than that of his predecessor, totaling 28 full ministers that included himself and two deputy prime ministers.
Anwar is also the Finance Minister.
The Finance Ministry will have two deputy ministers, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and Steven Sim from Pakatan Harapan (PH).
The deputy minister for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry is Liew Ching Tong (PH), who was the deputy defence minister when PH helmed the government in 2018.
The Deputy Defence Minister is Adly Zahari (PH), who was formerly Melaka chief minister.
The deputy ministers in other key ministries are:
– Home Affairs; Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN)
– Law and Institutional Reform; Ramkarpal Singh (PH)
– Foreign; Mohamad Alamin (BN)
– Transport; Hasbi Habibollah (Gabungan Parti Sarawak, GPS)
– Education; Lim Hui Ying (PH), younger sister of Lim Guan Eng, a PH leader and chairman of the Democratic Action Party.
– Higher Education; Yusof Apdal (Parti Warisan), younger brother of former Cabinet minister Shafie Apdal.
Malaysia’s unity government is made up of four main coalitions: PH led by Anwar with 82 seats, BN with 30, GPS with 23 and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah with six, making a total of 141 seats in the 222-strong federal Parliament.
Anwar has said he also has support from other smaller coalitions and parties for a total of 148 parliamentary seats, or a two-thirds majority.
The Anwar administration is burnishing its reformist credentials by reviewing projects and plans approved by past administrations. The PH alliance’s election manifesto also promised to fight corruption.
Anwar on Friday said the government will continue to be consistent in its efforts to combat corruption.
“By celebrating and upholding integrity, it can propel Malaysia towards holistic excellence that will include the physical and spiritual aspects, values and identity,” he said in conjunction with the International Anti-Corruption Day.