KUCHING, Dec 6: The federal cabinet reshuffle will be negotiated with proportionate participation and taking into account the strengths of each party, given that the unity government is formed from a coalition of parties.
In giving this assurance, Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that a reshuffle should be considered if the cabinet’s performance falls short or if circumstances necessitate such adjustments.
However, he emphasised that it is still too early to make a fair assessment at the one-year mark of the unity government’s administration and the ministers should be given the opportunity to improve and enhance their performance.
“I think soon… but I think after one year, we make a fair assessment. People governed for 10 years, three years… a year is too early, so ministers should be given a chance to improve their performance, including the Prime Minister.
“If there is a need for a slight adjustment based on our experience in a year, we will do it, even considering additional appointments if necessary,” he said in a news report by TVS.
He made these remarks during a special interview programme called ‘One Year Together with the Madani Government: Tiwikrama Prime Minister’ broadcasted on TV3 last night (Dec 5).
Anwar also cautioned the cabinet against complacency while advising them not to rest on the accomplishments of the unity government’s first year.
Giving the reminder that the true measure of the government’s success lies in the comfort and satisfaction of the people, he underlined the importance of consistently providing the best services.
“Sometimes when you are a leader, there is a tendency to perceive everything (as) the best. The education system is number one, health…the best. We hear about it first, but when we see the reality, it may reveal issues such as toilets cannot be repaired, and many schools are in dilapidated state.
“Let’s not succumb to the comfort. If you ask me, we do our best but don’t assume this is the best. There is still room to clean up and improve the quality and work ethic because in the end it is not the growth figure that matters,” he said.
Furthermore, Anwar stressed the need for the government to prioritise governance to ensure an administration free from corruption and abuse of power.
He highlighted that no nation with high capabilities can take pride in its achievements if governance issues persist.
“That is why all leaders are under scrutiny and bodies like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must report any signs of abuse of power, questionable conduct or whether the income and wealth of the prime minister and the ministers appear to be high.
“If this can be cleared, then we can implement several economic frameworks such as Madani economy, energy transition, digital transformation, industrialisation with a clear mission. This can all be done.
“Alhamdulillah so far, although there is still room for improvement, we have made strides and it turned out to be better than before,” he said. — DayakDaily
