Najib chairs first Cabinet meeting after reshuffle

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak yesterday chaired the first Cabinet meeting after the reshuffle on Tuesday, which saw the appointment of several new ministers.

The meeting, which started at about 2.30pm at Perdana Putra here, saw cheerful ministers shaking hands and congratulating each other before proceeding to the meeting room.

Six of the new Cabinet members attended the meeting.

They were Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainudin, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (natural resources and environment minister), Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (education minister), Senator Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Salleh Said Keruak (communications and multimedia minister), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (minister in prime minister’s department) and Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan (second international trade and industry minister).

All of them were photographed individually by the Prime Minister’s Office as well as Radio Televisyen Malaysia.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau did not attend the meeting. He is reportedly in Italy.

It was the first Cabinet meeting for four of them while the other two, Azalina and Ong, had previously been Cabinet ministers. The former held the post of youth and sports minister and tourism minister, and the latter, the housing and local government minister until 2009.

Meanwhile, Azalina said she would move as a team to face challenges from social media that currently had a big influence on the people.

Wan Junaidi said the new line-up was seen as dynamic and could form a team with one voice in helping the government deal with various conflicts.

Hamzah is ready to carry out his duty to increase domestic trade that could benefit consumers and the country. – Bernama