Zahid dampens reshuffle fever as rumours swirl

PETALING JAYA: Speculation about a Cabinet reshuffle, possibly as early as next week, has grown despite the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, saying he needed more time to think about it.

Sin Chew Daily, quoting sources, said the reshuffle was expected next Monday, while the Borneo Post speculated that a Sarawakian would be appointed a full minister.

Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, trying to dampen speculation, said today that he did not expect major changes beyond filling three vacancies — “one post of deputy minister, one post as Sarawak minister and a vacant post in the prime minister’s department,” he was reported to have said.

Abdul Wahid Omar, minister in the prime minister’s department, stepped down earlier this month, while Idris Jala, another minister in the PM’s Department, stepped down last year.

In May, the minister for plantation industries and commodities, Douglas Unggah, resigned to contest a seat in the Sarawak state assembly and has been appointed a deputy chief minister.

The Borneo Post has speculated that Alexander Nanta Linggi would be appointed to succeed Unggah.

If that happens, his position as deputy minister of rural development open up. Another deputy ministership is vacant in the plantations ministry, after the death of Noriah Kasnon in a helicopter crash in Sarawak in May.

In the midst of the current speculation, Ahmad Zahid said today: “I’m confident that the prime minister will only fill in the vacancies of several portfolios – one post of deputy minister, one post as Sarawak minister and a vacant post in the prime minister’s department.”

However, Sin Chew Daily said three ministerships and two deputy ministerships would be filled.

Ahmad Zahid’s remarks came amidst speculation about his own position. Besides being deputy prime minister, he is also home minister, and has been in the limelight since the heading the successful Barisan Nasional by-election campaign in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

Last week, former newspaper editor A Kadir Jasin speculated that Najib would take over the powerful home affairs position and move Ahmad Zahid to take up the education portfolio.

Kadir is an ally of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has campaigned for Najib’s ouster, and speculated that Dr Mahathir would seek to enlist Ahmad Zahid as his proxy after Umno’s expulsion of deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin.

He also speculated that Najib would move his cousin, Hishammuddin Hussein, now defence minister, back into taking charge of home affairs.

Ahmad Zahid said today however that he had full confidence in Najib with regard to the reshuffle.

On Friday, after Muhyiddin’s expulsion, Najib was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that he needed more time to work out the reshuffle, which he had announced in May after the Sarawak elections.

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