Dr Mahathir names nine more ministers, making initial cabinet line-up of 14

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced the names of nine more ministers of his cabinet, bringing to 14 the total number of its initial line-up.

In a statement yesterday, he named Parti Keadilan Rakyat ( PKR) deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali as the Minister of Economic Affairs and Democratic Action Party ( DAP) deputy chairman Gobind SinghDeo as the Minister of Communications and Multimedia.

He appointed Simpang Renggam MP Dr Maszlee Malik of Bersatu as the Education Minister; PKR Wanita chief Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin as the Housing and Local Government Minister; DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook as the Minister of Transport; and DAP vice- chairman M Kulasegaran as the Minister of Human Resources.

The others named yesterday were Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) deputy president Salahuddin Ayub as the Minister of Agriculture and Agro- based Industry; Amanah strategic director Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad as the Minister of Health; and Titiwangsa MP Rina Harun of Bersatu as the Minister of Rural Development.

Dr Mahathir had previously named Deputy Prime Minister and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismai l as the Minister of Women and Family Development; Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the Minister of Home Affairs; DAP secretary- general Lim Guan Eng as the Minister of Finance; and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu as the Minister of Defence.

Dr Ma hath ir said Yang di - Per t uan Agong Sul tan Muhammad V had given his consent to the appointment of the ministers.

He said the ministers would be sworn in at 11.30am on Monday ( May 21) at Istana Negara.

“Their appointments are in accordance with Paragraph ( b) Clause (2) Article 43 of the Federal Constitution,” he said.

Earlier, Dr Mahathir had an audienc e wit h Sul tan Muhammad V at Istana Negara and presented the list of ministers for His Majesty’s consent.