Muhyiddin, 4 others out in Cabinet reshuffle, say sources
(TMI) – Datuk Seri Najib Razak is to reshuffle his Cabinet this week, dropping five out of the 35-strong slate of ministers, including his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who has been critical of the prime minister’s handling of government-owned 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s RM42 billion debts, say sources.
Government sources say apart from Muhyiddin, two other Umno ministers – vice-president and Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal; and Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek – will be dropped in a mid-term review of Najib’s Cabinet which took office in 2013 after the prime minister won his own mandate.
Umno’s most popular vice-president and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is expected to be the new deputy prime minister while Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan is set to be a full minister.
Zahid would still keep the home minister portfolio, the sources said, adding that several other senior ministers would remain to support Najib – the country’s sixth prime minister.
Another two ministers expected to be dropped from the Najib administration are embattled Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, who has been stripped of his MIC presidency and membership, and Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala, the government efficiency unit Pemandu chief executive who is in his second and last term as a senator.
“The reshuffle is on this week as the prime minister has tweaked his list for the Agong to consider,” a Putrajaya source told The Malaysian Insider in capital Kuala Lumpur last night.
“The list should be presented to the Agong by Wednesday,” the source added, saying consultations among senior Umno members started earlier this week.
