Dr M names 3 key cabinet ministers
KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday announced three key Cabinet members, with DAP secretarygeneral Lim Guan Eng named as the Finance Minister.
The Prime Minister also named PBBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the Home Minister and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu for the defence portfolio.
He said the other Cabinet ministers would be announced later as the matter was still being discussed by the Pakatan Harapan coalition parties – PKR, DAP, PBBM and Amanah.
Dr Mahathir also announced the formation of a Council of Eminent Persons to advise the government.
The council comprises former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas president and CEO Tan Sri Hassan Marican, business tycoon Robert Kuok and economist Professor K.S Jomo.
Dr Mahathir said the coalition initially wanted to have a small Cabinet of 25 members, and have ministers from Sabah and Sarawak and some other organisations later if the need arose.
“We have places for Sabah and Sarawak. We still to find out their stand. As far as Sabah is concerned, Warisan headed by (Datuk Seri Mohd) Shafie (Apdal) has indicated they fully support the prime minister and the government set up by the prime minister,” he told a press conference, near here.
On the establishment of the Council of Eminent Persons, Dr Mahathir said he realised that many of Pakatan Harapan’s elected MPs have little or no experience in running a government and that they need expertise to assist them initially.
“Of course, the expertise must come from people with knowledge or previous knowledge of administration or being in the government or having held some responsible post.
Dr Mahathir said the experts would do studies before they prepare papers for the Cabinet.
“Of course, eventually papers for the Cabinet will be prepared by the ministries.
“But, in the interim, before we have a proper ministry, we need to do investigations on a lot of things. Some of these things may involve the ministries and the personnel themselves,” he explained.
According to him, data on various organisations, including those running government funds and some other ministries from the previous government, will be obtained.
“So, these people will study the data and things that have been happening from 2009 to date because we want to take action necessary as quickly as possible,” he added. — Bernama