KUCHING: Newly appointed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to unveil his much-awaited Cabinet tomorrow (1 Dec).
Sources disclosed that, though downsized to not more than 25 members, the Cabinet is expected to have two deputy prime ministers.
One is likely to be from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and the other from Barisan Nasional (BN), specifically Umno.
Anwar, who is also Tambun MP, was sworn in as the country’s 10th prime minister on November 24, four days after the November 19 polling, which ended in a hung parliament.
In the election, all contesting parties failed to secure the numbers to form the new federal government. Pakatan Harapan (PH) has 82 seats, Perikatan Nasional (PN) 73, BN 30, GPS 23, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) six, Warisan two, Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) one, and two independents.
To end the political crisis, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, proposed for the formation of a unity government.
Anwar, who leads PH, garnered enough number of supporting MPs to form a new government when the GPS and BN decided to heed His Majesty’s advice to consider the formation of a unity government.
Until yesterday, there was still no clear sign as to who would be picked from among the 23 MPs in GPS for the deputy prime minister’s post.
Previously, two names, former Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi have been touted to be the most eligible.
As for the other slot, UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Warisan president Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal were said to be the most likely candidates. Mohamad, also known as Tok Mat, however, was said to be the frontrunner.
Sources said Anwar has been urged not to include BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and other MPs with ongoing court cases, including DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng and Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, in his Cabinet.
Former PKR vice-president Tian Chua, on Tuesday, nevertheless said Zahid could actually play a key role in stabilising Anwar’s government, having already been instrumental in getting BN to help form the unity government.
