Leaner cabinet reflects govt prudence, enhances efficiency — Ramon
KUALA LUMPUR: After much anticipation and wait, the new government’s Cabinet was finally unveiled yesterday, which sees a leaner line-up comprising a more diversified background capable of injecting new hope and public confidence in steering the country ahead.
With 25 ministries and 26 ministers, two of them in the Prime Minister’s Department, the leaner Cabinet is also in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s move to reduce spending in time the nation was mired in hefty debt.
Describing the new Cabinet as “Clean, Competent and Compact”, ASLI’s Centre of Public Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said a smaller team also set to have more advantage as the ministers will be able to coordinate closely in their works, hence cutting down on bureaucracy.
At the same time, he said this would enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the federal administration.
“We hope this new cabinet will bring about more efficient and smoother public service. A leaner Cabinet will also allow the prime minister and the deputy prime minister to closely scrutinise each ministry.
“And this, I believe will enhance the minister and the ministry’s transparency and accountability and boost public confidence in them,” he told Bernama yesterday.
A total of 13 new Cabinet ministers took their oath of office, loyalty and secrecy before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V at the Istana Negara yesterday, bringing altogether 26 ministers to be appointed so far. Thirteen ministers had been appointed earlier in May.
Twenty-three deputy ministers were also sworn in yesterday.
Under the previous Barisan Nasional administration, there were 36 ministers in 26 ministries, and the Prime Minister’s Department alone saw a record number of 11 ministers appointed to various portfolios.
Ramon said although almost all of those appointed were new faces and had no experience in administering a government, they were in the advantage as they were highly qualified professionals from various backgrounds.
“What is also important is that they are corruption free and are highly motivated to serve the people,” he said, adding that they would have to learn the ropes of the trade fast in meeting the high expectation of the people.
The new line-up also witnessed a significant representation of women in the government, where five women ministers including the Deputy Prime Minister and four female deputy ministers were appointed.
It also made a history of its own when 25-year-old Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was appointed as the Youth and Sports Minister, making him the youngest minister appointed to date.
Earlier, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also said three more ministers would be appointed after they had been sworn in as senators, bringing the number of Cabinet ministers to 29.
He also hinted that they might not be politicians but professionals.