In the late evening of 2 December, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim finally announced his cabinet line-up for the unity government. According to Anwar, the unity government has reached the two-thirds threshold and is a formidable one.
Nonetheless, it turns out that the rumours that the banker turned politician, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz managed to retain a position in the Cabinet, but the portfolio allocated to him was not the finance minister.
Unexpectedly, Anwar himself will take up the Finance Minister portfolio too.
On the other hand, the much-anticipated deputy prime minister’s posts turn out to be filled by Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
However, Ahmad Zahid will also be given the Rural and Federal Development portfolio.
Here’s the complete list of Anwar’s cabinet line-up.
| Deputy Prime Minister I | Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi (BN) |
| Deputy Prime Minister II | Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof (GPS) |
| International Trade and Industry | Tengku Zafrul (BN) |
| Defence | Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (BN) |
| Finance | Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PH) |
| Works | Alexander Nanta Linggi (GPS) |
| Education | Fahlina Sidek (PH) |
| Minister in PM’s Department (Economy) | Mohd Rafizi Ramli (PH) |
| Youth and Sports | Hannah Yeoh (PH) |
| Minister in PM’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) | Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (BN) |
| Religious affairs | Datuk Dr Naim Mokhtar |
| Minister in the PM’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) | Datuk Armizan Mohamad Ali (GRS) |
| Transport | Anthony Loke (PH) |
| Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change | Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PH) |
| Human Resources | V. Sivakumar (PH) |
| Women, Family and Community Development | Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (GPS) |
| Higher Education | Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin (BN) |
| Home affairs | Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PH) |
| Health | Dr Zaliha Mustafa (PH) |
| Agriculture and Food Security | Mohamad Sabu (PH) |
| Rural and Regional Development | Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN) |
| Foreign affairs | Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir (BN) |
| Domestic Trade and Cost of Living | Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub (PH) |
| Communications and Multimedia | Fahmi Fadzil (PH) |
| Local Authority Development | Nga Kor Ming (PH) |
| Science and Technology | Chang Lih Kang (PH) |
| Entrepreneur Development | Ewon Benedick (PH) |
| Farming and Commodity | Fadillah Bin Yusof (GPS) |
| Tourism | Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (GPS) |
| National Unity | Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (GPS) |
The swearing-in ceremony will take place today at 3 pm.
Earlier, Anwar said that he will have a much leaner Cabinet. The unity government is made up of PH, BN, GPS, and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Meanwhile, Anwar will be announcing the list of deputy Ministers soon.
What do you think about Anwar’s Cabinet? Share your thoughts!
