KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 9): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday (Dec 9) named 27 deputy ministers to complement the line-up of 28 ministers in the new federal administration.
At a press conference, Anwar announced the appointments of two deputy finance ministers: Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan from Barisan Nasional (BN)-Umno and Steven Sim Chee Keong from Pakatan Harapan-DAP.
Another notable appointment was that of DAP's Liew Chin Tong as deputy minister of international trade and industry. This will be his second stint as deputy minister, having held the defence ministry portfolio during the Pakatan Harapan administration from 2018 to 2020.
Meanwhile, Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib, youngest daughter of Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, was appointed deputy minister of economy. She served as deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs previously.
Lim Hui Ying, sister of DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, was appointed deputy education minister. The former senator made her election debut in the 15th general election for Penang's Tanjong constituency.
BN's Datuk Hasbi Habibollah will be taking up the deputy transport minister's post, having held the post of deputy minister of rural development II prior to the recent election.
The higher education ministry will have Warisan's Datuk Yusof Apdal, brother of Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, as deputy minister.
Ramkarpal Singh, meanwhile, was appointed deputy law minister in the Prime Minister's Department.
A deputy minister for religious affairs in the Prime Minister's Department was not announced.
Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong of Gabungan Parti Sarawak was named a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, but it was not clear if the post was for Sabah and Sarawak affairs.
Two of the deputy ministers, Fuziah Salleh and Saraswathy Kandasami, both from PKR, will be made senators. Fuziah failed to retain her Kuantan seat in GE15, while Saraswathy was unsuccessful in her attempt to wrest the Tapah seat from Barisan Nasional.
Four of the full ministers are also senators, bringing the total number of senators to be appointed to the Cabinet to six.
There is no announcement for deputy minister of national unity.
The previous Pakatan Harapan-led government had the same number of deputy ministers at 27.
Below is the full list of deputy ministers:
• Ministry of Finance: Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (BN-Umno) and Steven Sim Chee Keong (PH-DAP)
• Ministry of Home Affairs: Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Umno)
• Ministry of Transport: Datuk Hasbi Habibollah (GPS-PBB)
• Ministry of Defence: Adly Zahari (PH-Amanah)
• Ministry of Works: Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Umno)
• Ministry of International Trade and Industry: Liew Chin Tong (PH-DAP)
• Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security : Chan Foong Hin (PH-DAP)
• Ministry of Local Government Development: Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (PH-PKR)
• Ministry of Higher Education: Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal (Warisan)
• Ministry of Science and Technology: Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup (BN-PBRS)
• Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development: Aiman Athirah Sabu (PH-Amanah)
• Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living: Fuziah Salleh (PH-PKR)
• Ministry of Digital Communication: Teo Nie Ching (PH-DAP)
• Ministry of Education: Lim Hui Ying (PH-DAP)
• Ministry of Health: Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-PBB)
• Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change: Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii (GPS-SUPP)
• Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives: Saraswathy Kandasami (PH-PKR)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Datuk Mohamad Alamin (BN-Umno)
• Ministry of Tourism: Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (GRS-Bersatu Sabah)
• Ministry of Human Resource: Mustapha @ Mohd Yunus Sakmud (PH-PKR)
• Ministry of Youth and Sports: Adam Adli Abd Halim (PH-PKR)
• Ministry of Economy: Datuk Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib (GPS-PBB)
• Prime Minister's Department: Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong (GPS-PRS)
• Law and Institutional Reform (Prime Minister's Department): Ramkarpal Singh A/L Karpal Singh (PH-DAP)
http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/anwar-names-27-deputy-ministers-ahmad-maslan-and-steven-sim-appointed-deputy-finance
