PUTRAJAYA: Former Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has been appointed as the International Trade and Industry Minister in the unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Tengku Zafrul was finance minister under two previous prime ministers, namely Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as well as Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He had in the 15th General Election (GE15) tried to secure a place in parliament, contesting the Kuala Selangor seat against incumbent Datuk Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH), Mohd Noor Mohd Sahar (PN) and Pejuang candidate Mohd Shaid Rosli.
Tengku Zafrul polled 30,031 votes, while Dr Dzulkefly polled 31,033 votes.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail will be appointed senator and is set to helm the Home Ministry.
Saifuddin lost his bid for the Kulim-Bandar Baharu parliamentary seat in the GE15.
He was the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister from May 2018 to March 2020.
The announcement today ended days of speculation on the composition of the Cabinet for the unity government comprising Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), and other partners to the federal administration.
At the press conference, Anwar also named Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as deputy prime ministers.