Ten Cabinet line-up changes, two ministry portfolio splits in reshuffling by PM

• Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, previously the deputy local government development minister, is now the deputy energy transition and public utilities minister.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced 10 Cabinet line-up changes, as well as the splitting up of two ministries as part of the Cabinet reshuffling revealed on Tuesday.

Named as finance minister II is Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, 56, who earlier in the day was appointed as a senator in the Dewan Negara. This confirmed a report by The Edge on Monday.

Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying is now the deputy finance minister, while Steven Sim has been appointed as the new human resources minister.

Another deputy finance minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, has been moved to the Ministry of Works as its deputy minister.

Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof takes over the portfolio of energy transition and public utilities, at the same time still overseeing Sabah and Sarawak matters.

Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, previously the deputy local government development minister, is now the deputy energy transition and public utilities minister.

Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad now leads the Ministry of Natural Resources and Sustainability, with Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii as his deputy. The two ministries led by Nik Nazmi and Fadillah were split from what was previously the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change.

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who was the defence minister, is now the foreign minister, with Datuk Mohamad Alamin remaining as the deputy.

In Mohamad’s stead, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin is now the defence minister, from his previous higher education portfolio.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Khadir is now the higher education minister. He was formerly the foreign minister.

Other notable names include the return of Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad as the health minister, while Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani is appointed as the plantation and commodities minister.

Dr Zaliha Mustafa, formerly the health minister, now takes on the role of the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories).

Gobind Singh Deo is also back in the Cabinet as the digital minister, while Fahmi Fadzil is now the communications minister.

Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali is now the domestic trade and cost of living minister. The position was left vacant following the passing of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub in July this year after a surgery.

All in all, for the 10 Cabinet line-up changes, Fadillah, Khaled, Mohamad Hasan, Zaliha and Armizan are from the original Cabinet line-up, while the remaining five are new faces:

• Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan (Minister of Finance II — senator)
• Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani (Minister of Plantation and Commodities — Umno/BN)
• Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Minister of Health — Amanah/PH)
• Steven Sim (Minister of Human Resources — DAP/PH)
• Gobind Singh Deo (Minister of Digital — DAP/PH)

Additionally, those who are out of the new Cabinet line-up include:

V Sivakumar (previously the human resources minister — DAP/PH)

Ramkarpal Singh (previously the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (law and institutional reforms) — DAP/PH)

Datuk Siti Aminah (previously the deputy plantation and commodities minister — Umno/BN)

The reshuffling also includes:

• Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup as the deputy agriculture and food security minister (previously deputy science, technology and innovation minister)
• Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu as the deputy local government development minister (previously deputy women, family and community development minister)
• Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal as the deputy science, technology and innovation minister (previously deputy higher education minister)
• Datuk Mustapha @ Mohd Yunus Sakmud as the deputy higher education minister (previously deputy human resources minister)
• Teo Nie Ching as the deputy communications minister (previously deputy communications and digital minister)
• Saraswathi Kandasami as the deputy unity minister (previously deputy entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister)
• Datuk Chan Foong Hin as the deputy plantation and commodity minister (previously deputy agriculture and food security minister)
• Datuk Ugak Anak Kumbong as the deputy digital minister (previously deputy minister in the Prime Minister Department [Sabah, Sarawak affairs and special functions])
• Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad as the deputy human resources minister (previously deputy works minister)

Other new appointments include:

• M Kulasegaran as the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (law and institutional reforms)
• Wong Kah Woh as the deputy education minister
• Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad as the deputy women, family and community development minister
• Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan as the deputy entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister
• Dr Zulkifli Hasan, appointed as a senator on Tuesday, as the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (religious matters)

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