‘CABINET LINE-UP AGREED BY PH MEMBERS’
In response to Rafizi’s tweet, PH sec-gen says Dr M met with party leaders
PAKATAN Harapan’s cabinet line-up was formed with the consensus of all party leaders, including PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
PH secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah tweeted yesterday that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had met coalition leaders on Friday and Saturday to discuss the ministerial appointments.
“Pembentukan Kabinet kuasa PM. berunding dgn semua pihak pd hari Jumaat, Jumaat mlm, Sabtu & jumpa @anwaribrahim. (PM has the prerogative to form the cabinet. @chedetofficial had met with all parties on Friday, Friday night, Saturday and (later) met @anwaribrahim).”
Saifuddin’s tweet is believed to be in response to PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli’s outburst over the latest cabinet appointments.
He claimed Dr Mahathir had “bulldozed” his way through without consulting PKR’s leadership.
The appointments saw DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng being made finance minister, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin becoming the home minister, and Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu the defence minister.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar had urged Rafizi to accept the decision.
Nurul Izzah, who is also Permatang Pauh member of parliament, also encouraged the people to be optimistic on the new government set up by PH.
“What is needed now is to focus on the people. For now, he (Rafizi) cannot be a minister in the cabinet, but as a good friend, I really appreciate his contributions to the party and nation.
“So, in the name of true friendship, I ask that we do this positively and overcome whatever happens to face this new phase of forming the nation under PH,” she said after a thanksgiving ceremony to celebrate PH’s victory in Permatang Pauh.