PUTRAJAYA: The question regarding a Cabinet reshuffle was not raised at the Cabinet meeting yesterday, according to two ministers who had attended the meeting.
According to Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, there was no discussion touching on a Cabinet reshuffle at the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday.
“No ... at this point of time there was no discussion (on the matter),” said Zuraida.
Lim said the Cabinet meeting and the meeting of leaders of the component parties of Pakatan Harapan with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad only discussed government matters.
“Yesterday’s meeting between Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir and the government ministers concerned government matters and nothing to do with whatever had been raised by the pressmen,” said Lim when responding to questions on the Cabinet reshuffle.
Zuraida and Lim were approached by members of the media after attending the meeting of the 2020 Budget Focus group at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, here today.
Several news reports today touched on a Cabinet reshuffle which is expected to take place at any time and the names of several leaders had been mentioned to lead several new ministries and portfolios.
Lim was also asked whether there was a meeting between the Prime Minister and Jeli Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed who was rumoured to be included in the new Cabinet line-up.
He said, “I don’t know, but when I met with the Prime Minister yesterday there was no mention at all about what was said (by the media on Mustapha), not only yesterday but even before that it had never been raised.”
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, denied that the DAP had sent a list of names to be chosen by Dr Mahathir as Cabinet ministers.
“None at all because there is already a Cabinet. The present Cabinet from the DAP remains as it is and the DAP and I had never sent any list of names,” he said.
According to Lim, matters concerning the Cabinet reshuffle were the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
“Tun (Dr Mahathir) had repeatedly responded on this matter, I feel the matter mentioned by him should be referred to him ... I am not the Prime Minister,” he said. — Bernama
