Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said the upcoming Cabinet shake-up must be a “game-changer” to ensure that only high-performing ministers remain for the rest of the Madani government’s term.
“If possible, don’t just decide along the lines of party quota as if it’s a regular reshuffle. That is not acceptable,” Puad said during the latest episode of a podcast hosted by his son, Omar Puad, released yesterday.
“If someone needs to be dropped from the Cabinet, then drop them regardless of which party they belong to. If a minister has become a target of public criticism over their performance, why not remove them?” the Rengit assemblyman said.
He said that if the Prime Minister is determined to follow party quotas, any minister removed can be replaced by another member from the same party.
Asked how he thought Anwar could make the right decision on the Cabinet reshuffle to ensure the government lasts until the next general election, Puad said the prime minister should use the Sabah state election results as a benchmark of public support.
“The Sabah polling results need to serve as an important wake-up call, especially given DAP’s severe losses. (They won) zero seats,” he added. On the other hand, Barisan Nasional fared relatively well compared with the other unity government parties, winning six seats.
The Prime Minister’s Office said last week that a Cabinet reshuffle, Anwar’s second since assuming office in November 2022, would be announced soon.
Four Cabinet posts are vacant: economy; natural resources and environment sustainability; entrepreneur development and cooperatives; and investment, trade and industry.
Parti Bangsa Malaysia president Larry Sng had suggested that all unity government parties should be included in the Cabinet, saying that Anwar in the past had promised “many parties many things” to secure their support when forming the unity government in late 2022.
However, political analysts warned that redistributing portfolios from larger coalition partners or awarding ministerial posts to parties with only one or two MPs could strain government ties and risk a public backlash over a bloated Cabinet.