The master strokes in PM Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet reshuffle

K PRAGALATH

The cabinet reshuffle announced a short while ago saw Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim containing dissent from the Rafizi camp, appeasing the Indian voters while picking the best brains for key ministries.

He also responded to the calls for the Federal Territories to be represented by a minister who represented a constituency in the Federal Territories.

The cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim saw him promoting his party members who were aligned to former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli into the cabinet.

Akmal Nasir is now Economy Minister. Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh has become the new Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sustainability.

Syed Ibrahim was among the nine vocal MPs with Rafizi.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to appoint Datuk Seri R Ramanan as Human Resources is right on two fronts. First, Ramanan is the vice president of Anwar’s party.

Second, the appointment would appease demands of the Indian community for a Tamil Hindu representative in the cabinet.

Removing Senator K Saraswathi in favour of R Yuneswaran is a welcome move as the former often stumbles in giving convincing replies in the Dewan Rakyat.

Yuneswaran was in Rafizi’s camp during PKR polls and he was defeated at the division level.

Anwar also moved Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani from Plantation and Commodities Ministry to Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry.

This move is good as Johari was formerly a corporate leader who is known to be comfortable on matters related to finance. He is also heading the 1MDB asset recovery task force.

The decision to move Hannah Yeoh from Youth and Sports to Federal Territories in the Prime Minister’s Department is also a welcome move.

It is high time for MPs from the Federal Territories to helm that portfolio.

The cabinet reshuffle also saw the Youth and Sports Ministry returning to the youth. Taufiq Johari (PH-Sungai Petani) is the second youth to helm the ministry.

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (MUDA-Muar) helmed it during Tun Dr Mahathir’s second inning as prime minister.