PETALING JAYA: It appears that those who left Pakatan Harapan (PH) as well as lawmakers from Umno are the biggest winners in the new Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pix).
Between them, they make up 43 of the overall 70 ministerial and deputy ministerial positions, close to two-thirds of the overall Cabinet line up, including the post of the prime minister himself.
Political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said MPs from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and those who quit PKR would feel justified over their decision to look for greener pastures in Perikatan Nasional (PN).
He said Muhyiddin’s decision to “recompense” these lawmakers with Cabinet posts was rightly so, considering they were the reason PN came into federal power.
“No one in the coalition can question Muhyiddin’s choice because it was him and those who left PH who made it possible for the likes of Umno and PAS to be in power,” he told theSun yesterday.
Awang Azman also pointed out that the appointment of these MPs goes beyond just Cabinet positions but was a means to consolidate support from the grassroots.
“Many of them are now placed in strategic ministries. They will be using their positions to garner support and this will allow them the opportunity to prepare themselves for the coming general election,” he said.
Apart from the PH defectors, Awang Azman said Umno would also have the biggest smile among those in the coalition.
He said this was because the largest Malay-based party in the country had done almost nothing to contribute to the formation of the new government but was still rewarded with nine ministerial and eight deputy positions in the Cabinet.
“In a way, Umno will see this as them returning to power. Over the long run, I can see the party dominating PN and conquering all the important posts in the coalition,” he said.
On the other hand, youth, women, and the non-Malay representations from the Peninsular appear to be the biggest losers in Muhyiddin’s Cabinet.
In fact, Indians and Chinese only hold two ministerial positions and four deputy ministerial posts, with the majority of the positions being dominated by Malays.
Independent political analyst Khoo Key Peng said with a Malay-centric administration, the minorities might be worried that their rights will not be protected.
“This government looks like one that will focus on the rights and needs of the majority race in the country, which are the Malays.
“When you are a race-based party, you will tend to focus on your specific race and it’s difficult to discuss multiracial issues. We are actually moving backward.”
Khoo said the lack of non-Malays in the Cabinet would also amplify a sense of discomfort among Malaysians, which could lead to heightened racial tension.
Women also appear to have lost out. They now only account for 12.9% of ministers and deputy ministers, down from 18% under PH.
Khoo said while Muhyiddin might lack options, he could have had a more balanced gender representation by appointing more women senators to take up ministerial positions.
Meanwhile, youth activists Nur Qyira Yusri highlighted the need for a more youthful Cabinet, noting that the current line-up can be viewed as discouraging younger people from being active in politics. The Undi18 movement co-founder said that having more youth leaders in the Cabinet was important as they are more approachable to the younger Malaysians.
