KUALA LUMPUR: The new Cabinet line-up announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has received mixed reactions from members of the public.
To some, the combination of the political parties, the young and the old, the novices and the veterans, is the strength of the coalition government.
Others, however, noted that the absence of a deputy prime minister and the lack of women representation in the Cabinet as a surprise.
Hotel marketing executive Mohamad Syamil Selamat, 26, expressed hope that the new Cabinet would be able to steer the country’s economy in the wake of the challenging environment.
“It’s interesting to see how the new Health Minister and Finance Minister will help the country weather the global health crisis brought about by Covid-19, which has also threatened to dampen economic activities and growth.
“I also hope the new ministers will be clean and of integrity because we do not want a repeat of the money laundering issues, which had plagued the country for quite some time.
“All eyes are on them now and we hope they won’t disappoint,” he added.
Syamil also expressed surprise that Muhyiddin did not appoint a deputy prime minister but instead came up with four new ministries.
“I am not sure if we have enough budget for new ministries, considering the current economic situation. However, I believe Muhyiddin had taken everything into consideration,” he told New Straits Times today.
Acknowledging that some ministers in the previous Pakatan Harapan Cabinet had done well, Syamil said the challenge now is for the new ministers to match their performance, if not better.
High school teacher from Kedah, Mohamad Anas Roslan, 31, said he hoped the new Cabinet members would prioritise people's wellbeing.
“I hope they will continue some of the good efforts by the previous administration. Overall, I am satisfied with the line-up, especially with the return of the Higher Education Ministry. I believe Muhyiddin had made a good call on this, a move that will empower and strengthen our education system into the future,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sumitra Visvanathan, who is Woman’s Aid Organisation executive director, noted that women are less represented in the new Cabinet line-up.
“It’s surprising that only 15.6 per cent of the ministers are women.”
According to Sumitra, it’s also interesting to see how the new Cabinet intends to continue the reform efforts made by the previous administration.
“The rakyat voted for reforms, and in the past two years, various reforms have been developed and were close to being tabled in Parliament.
“These include the Sexual Harassment Act and the Gender Equality Act led by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, and the Anti-Discrimination Provisions in the Employment Act by the Human Resources Ministry, which would improve the lives of millions of Malaysians.
“These reforms must continue,” she added.