NAJIB'S NEW CABINET

This afternoon Prime Minister Datuk Najib Tun Razak named his cabinet line-up. It was a trimmer cabinet, where he dropped two ministries, with a total 28 ministers and 40 deputy ministers. I have been retained as Federal Territories deputy minister. Below is the list of the new cabinet.

PRIME MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER:
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT:
1. Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Unity and Performance Management)
2. Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Legal and Parliamentary Affairs)
3. Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Economic Planning Unit)
4. Mej-Jen (B) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom (Islamic Religious Affairs)

Deputy Minister:

1. Datuk Liew Vui Keong
2. Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim
3. Datuk S.K. Devamany
4. Ahmad Maslan
5. T.Murugiah

FINANCE MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

SECOND FINANCE MINISTER:
DATUK AHMAD HUSNI MOHAMAD HANADZLAH

Deputy:
1. Datuk Chor Chee Heung
2. Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin

EDUCATION MINISTER:
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Deputy:
1. Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong
2. Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi

TRANSPORT MINISTER:
Datuk Ong Tee Keat

Deputy:
1. Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri
2. Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew

PLANTATION INDUSTRIES AND COMMODITIES MINISTER:
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok

Deputy:
1. Datuk Hamzah Zainudin

HOME MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein

Deputy:
1. Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop
2. Jelaing anak Mersat

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS, ARTS AND CULTURE MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim

Deputy:
1. Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum
2. Senator Heng Seai Kie

ENERGY, GREEN TECHNOLOGY AND WATER MINISTER:
Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui

Deputy:
Noriah Kasnon

RURAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal

Deputy:
1. Datuk Hassan Malek
2. Datuk Joseph Entulu anak Belaun

HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin

Deputy:
1. Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung
2. Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER:
Datuk Mustapa Mohamed

Deputy:
1. Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir
2. Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION MINISTER:
Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili

Deputy:
Fadillah Yusof

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas

Deputy:
Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

TOURISM MINISTER:
Datuk Ng Yen Yen

Deputy:
Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib

AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-BASED INDUSTRY MINISTER :
Datuk Noh Omar

Deputy:
1. Datuk Johari Baharum
2. Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim

DEFENCE MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Deputy:
Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad

WORKS MINISTER:
Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor

Deputy:
Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

HEALTH MINISTER:
Datuk Liow Tiong Lai

Deputy:
Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shirlin

YOUTH AND SPORTS MINISTER:
Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek

Deputy:
1. Datuk Razali Ibrahim
2. Wee Jeck Seng

HUMAN RESOURCES MINISTRY:
Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam

Deputy:
Datuk Maznah Mazlan

DOMESTIC TRADE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS MINISTER:
Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob

Deputy:
Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Kong Cho Ha

Deputy:
Datuk Lajim Ukin

WOMEN, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Sharizat Jalil

Deputy:
Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun

FOREIGN MINISTER:
Datuk Anifah Aman

Deputy:
1. A.Kohilan Pillay
2. Datuk Lee Chee Leong

FEDERAL TERRITORIES MINISTER:
Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin

Deputy :
Datuk M.Saravanan

STATUS QUO MAINTAINED

The by-election results of the three constituencies were known yesterday. The people i.e voters had made their choice. In Bukit Selambau, S. Manikumar of the PKR won beating MIC's Datuk S. Ganeson. Failure to win back the Kedah state assembly seat is another setback for the MIC, which is trying very hard to win back Indians votes.
At Bukit Gantang, former Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin beat Ismail Safian of the BN to retain the parliamentary seat.
At Batang Ai, BN managed to make a comeback and win the seat convincingly, after its candidate Malcom Mussen Lamoh beat PKR's Jawah Gerang.
This trend of result in by-elections which favours the opposition, except in Sarawak, needs to be reversed. The BN has to undertake massive restructuring to win back the hearts and minds of the people. The ruling coalition should connect with the people and not expect the people to connect with it. The BN must also undertake several measures to show that it is sincere and serious about bringing change.
An opportunity to do this should start with the new cabinet, which is expected to be announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in a day or two. There had been various speculation of the cabinet. I personally believe that the cabinet would be shrunk with merger of several ministries. Several big names in the political landscape of the nation are also expected to face the axe in a bid to convince the people that the ruling BN government is serious on bringing about change. The cabinet is also expected to mirror Najib's 1Malaysia motto. Lets hope for the best.