By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, Dec 10: Malaysia’s new Federal Cabinet deputy ministers were sworn in before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at Istana Negera today.
The swearing-in ceremony was held following the announcement of the deputy minister posts in Prime Minister Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet yesterday (Dec 9).
The deputy ministers took their oath in groups, with first group comprising both Deputy Minister for Finance Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Stephen Sim Chee Keong, Deputy Minister for Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang, Deputy Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Siti Aminah Aching, Deputy Minister for Transport Datuk Hasbi Habibollah, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Chan Fung Hin and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Hanifah Hajah Taib.
Followed by the second group consisting of Deputy Minister for Local Government Development Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, Deputy Minister for Defence Adly Zahari, Deputy Minister for Public Works Department Datuk Abdul Rahman Mohamad, Deputy Minister for Home Ministry Datuk Seri Dr. Shamsul Annuar, Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry Liew Ching Tong, Deputy Minister for Higher Education Mohd Yusof Apdal, and Deputy Minister for Science and Technology Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup.
The third group comprised Deputy Minister for Women, Family and Community Development Aiman Athirah Sabu, Deputy Minister for Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Senator Fuziah Salleh, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh, Deputy Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii, Deputy Minister for Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Senator Saraswathy Kandasamy, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin, Deputy Minister for Tourism Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan.
The last group to take their oath were Deputy Minister for Communications and Digital Teo Ni Ching, Deputy Minister for Education Lim Hui Ying, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Adam Adli Abd Halim, Deputy Minister for Human Resources Mustapha @ Mohd Yunus Sakmud, Deputy Minister for Health Lukanisman Awang, Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Wilson Ugak Kumbong.
After taking their oaths, the ministers signed their respective official appointments, witnessed by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and chief secretary to the government Mohd Zuki Ali.
Also present were Prime Minister Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Datin Sri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. — DayakDaily
