Malaysia: PM: Cabinet reshuffle just rumours, govt focused on floods, Covid-19

• There will be no cabinet reshuffle for now as the government is focusing on the more pressing issues affecting the people, namely floods and Covid-19, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob stressed.
• Not only did he describe rumours of a reshuffle as mere speculation, Ismail Sabri also said it was a non-issue as the country was still struggling to cope with the monsoon season and the pandemic.
• “Yes, people are talking, names are being mentioned, it’s normal. I have said it before, my focus is now on the floods, so I don’t want to talk about whether or not there will be a cabinet reshuffle. I didn’t announce any, so there’s none!”
• Reports claiming that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob plans for a minor cabinet reshuffle are rumours, sources close to the administration said.
• On 30 Dec 21, the MalaysiaNow website speculated that a cabinet reshuffle might take place this month and that some Bersatu members of the cabinet are on the chopping block.
• Citing sources, the report claims that Ismail Sabri was being pressured by his own party – Umno – to sideline Bersatu. On 3 Jan 22, Suara.TV – a news website operated by Enigma Fikir Sdn Bhd and led by one Ab Jalil Backer – speculated that Ismail Sabri had already met Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss the reshuffle.
• The website claimed that Ismail Sabri was unhappy with Abd Latiff Ahmad – the Mersing MP and Special Functions Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department charge of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) – as well as Rina Harun – the Titiwangsa MP and women, family and community development minister.
• Both Abd Latiff and Rina are Bersatu members. Latiff retained his seat during the 2018 election on a BN ticket.
• Suara.TV also claimed that Umno’s Halimah Mohamed Sadique (above) – the Kota Tinggi MP and Unity Minister – was also on the chopping block. When contacted, a source close to Ismail Sabri rubbished the reports.
• “As of now, there are no proposals to reshuffle the cabinet. These are mere rumours,” the source said. Another source close to the Ismail Sabri administration insisted to Malaysiakini that the reports were speculations and that the reports were a form of motivation for the ministers to buck up.

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