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KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s new cabinet appears to provide room for representation from younger voices, with a good number of ministers aged below 50.
Announced last night, Anwar’s cabinet boasts a total of 11 ministers under 50, most of whom are from Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties and will be holding ministerial titles for the first time.
This includes PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Being the youngest at 40-years-old, Nik Nazmi, who is also Setiawangsa MP, has been handed the natural resources, environment, and climate change portfolio under the unity government.
Despite his relatively young age, he has built quite a political resume, having served as Selangor’s Seri Setia assemblyman from March 2008 to May 2018 and chaired the Dewan Rakyat’s Special Select Committee on Defence and Home Affairs.
He also chaired the Education, Human Capital Development, Science, Technology, and Innovation Committee in the Selangor assembly when now-adversary Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali was menteri besar.
Nik Nazmi was also the first PH Youth chief elected in 2017 and was PKR communications director prior.
Another 40-year-old in cabinet is United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation president-elect Datuk Ewon Benedick, who will head the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry.
The two-time Kadamaian assemblyman had previously served as Sabah’s rural development minister. He also won the Penampang federal constituency in the 15th general election.
Meanwhile, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, 41, will be making his debut in cabinet after being appointed digital communication minister, a task that seems apt as he is PKR information chief – a role he took over from Nik Nazmi.
Just a year older than Fahmi is PKR vice-president and Tg Malim MP Chang Lih Kang. The 42-year-old will be holding the science and technology portfolio, while the youngest woman minister is DAP’s Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh, 43.
Yeoh will be assuming the role of youth and sports minister, a jump from being deputy women, family, and community development minister during PH’s 22 months in Putrajaya after the 2018 general election.
The only other woman minister under the age of 50 is PKR women’s chief Fadhlina Sidek, 45, who will helm the Education Ministry. The former senator and lawyer had bested Nibong Tebal two-term incumbent Datuk Mansor Othman from Perikatan Nasional in the national polls.
As for DAP secretary-general and three-term Seremban MP Anthony Loke, the 45-year-old reclaimed the reins of the Transport Ministry, a relief to some as the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd Employees’ Union had earlier expressed hope that Anwar would consider Loke for the post.
Besides that, PKR deputy president and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, 45, will be handling the Economy Ministry while the lone Gabungan Rakyat Sabah representative in the cabinet, Papar MP Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, 46, will take over Sabah and Sarawak affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department.
Rounding up the list is International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, 49, and Teluk Intan MP Nga Kor Ming, 50, who is tasked with the Local Government Development Ministry. – The Vibes, December 3, 2022