PRESIDENT Joko Widodo met Indonesia’s top editors recently and hinted that he might reshuffle his nine-month-old cabinet, saying he needed people he could trust.
“My (ideal) staffers would be those who, when they speak, the public believes them, investors believe them, the markets believe them. Their words are irrefutable,” he said. “I’m still racking my brains. It’s hard (to find such people).”
Over here in Malaysia, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is said to be mulling a cabinet reshuffle — some 26 months into his five-year term.
There will be at least three new faces, one of them said to be Johor Baru
member of parliament and veteran politician Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad.
Embattled MIC “president” Datuk
Seri G. Palanivel, the natural resources and environment minister, is likely to be dropped, along with another minister.
Some four ministers will likely swap their portfolios. They include two ministers from Sabah.
His focus will be on strengthening the finance, economic and communication portfolios.
Najib is also likely to strengthen the Umno and Barisan Nasional machineries, bringing in two new faces as Umno secretary-general and information chief.
Najib has roped in former works
minister Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor, 51, to help strengthen the political side of the Prime Minister’s Office, and fill in some of the void following the death of trusted aide Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis.