Najib still shuffling
The criteria for the new line-up is they must have university degrees and are not seen as having any political baggage or corrupt. However, most Umno and Barisan Nasional politicians are seen as having baggage or are corrupt, leaving Najib with very few options.
THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will have his first formal meeting as prime minister with the King today but is unlikely to provide names for a new cabinet.
Sources said Najib is reviewing his list but has yet to contact anyone to serve in his Cabinet. But an announcement could be made as early as tomorrow.
Only Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin could be named deputy prime minister, which is a Barisan Nasional and political convention.
“He is keeping his cards very close to his chest. The current ministers don’t even know if they are on the list,” a source told The Malaysian Insider.
Najib has met all Barisan Nasional component party leaders this week to discuss potential names.
It is learnt he wants to trim the cabinet size to just over 20 by merging some ministries.
The criteria for the new line-up is they must have university degrees and are not seen as having any political baggage or corrupt. However, most Umno and Barisan Nasional politicians are seen as having baggage or are corrupt, leaving Najib with very few options.
As many as 15 ministers could be new, including some returning to the cabinet and a few deputy ministers being promoted, another source said.
The bulk of new faces will be from Umno as six ministers lost in the party polls last month.
One of them who lost and who has confirmed resigning is Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Shahrir Samad.
An Umno source said there was no guarantee that those who won or retained their place in the party supreme council will be named to the cabinet.
However, the top Umno office bearers are almost guaranteed of being in the front bench.
“Only the top guys know they will get something. Everyone else is in the dark,” the Umno source told The Malaysian Insider.
Najib had said he will reshuffle the cabinet this week ahead of his first trip abroad as prime minister when he attends the Asean+3 meeting in Pattaya tomorrow.
Local newspapers have speculated on the new cabinet, with some reporting at least 10 ministers could be dropped.
Malaysia’s sixth prime minister could also face a headache of naming ministers as Tun Dr Mahathir had warned him against appointing Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who defeated his son in the party polls.
It is now understood that Khairy will not be named to the cabinet, in a repeat of former Umno Youth leader Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's status in 1993 when he crossed Mahathir.
Mahathir, who ruled the country for 22 years before retiring in 2003, has called Khairy corrupt.
He has accused Khairy and father-in-law Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who succeeded him as PM, of undermining his legacy.
Another hiccup for Najib is the bigger defeats in two by-elections yesterday that reflected the poor confidence in his and Umno’s leadership of the country.
