PM: No Cabinet reshuffle for now
Just small changes in portfolio and even then I haven’t done it, says Dr M
PUTRAJAYA: The Prime Minister has indicated the possibility of a change in the portfolios of his Cabinet, but says there will not be a reshuffle.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he had raised the issue of change in portfolio with the Cabinet on Wednesday.
“I told the Cabinet that there may be a minor change in portfolio, but it will not be now.
“There is no Cabinet reshuffle, just changes in portfolio and even then I haven’t done it.
“If I do it, I will let you know,” he said when asked on talk which re-emerged recently of a Cabinet reshuffle.
Asked to confirm speculation that former international trade and industry minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed would be joining his Cabinet, the Prime Minister replied in the negative.
“No new ministers, no reshuffle,” he said.
On whether he was satisfied with the performance of his ministers, he said after more than a year of service, they were now more capable than when they started.
On May 5, at a function to commemorate the first anniversary of Pakatan’s GE14 victory, Dr Mahathir gave his Cabinet a score of “five out of 10” but insisted that the ministers were “learning fast”.
The Star reported yesterday that the first reshuffle of the Pakatan Harapan Cabinet was due anytime and a few ministers would be changing their portfolios.
Sources had said that the Prime Minister announced this during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday and this was minuted at the meeting.
There has long been speculation over a Cabinet reshuffle, with some ministers getting flak for not performing up to the expectations of the public.
But Dr Mahathir has repeatedly said no such thing would take place.
The last time he denied that there would be a Cabinet reshuffle was on July 19, following a viral photograph of the full Cabinet taken before a meeting in Putrajaya.
When contacted yesterday, Mustapa brushed off talk that he may be roped in to the Cabinet should there be a reshuffle.
“(I am) not going to say anything about it. No comment,” he said.