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KUALA LUMPUR – The suggestion by Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for Putrajaya to “create another ministry” for former party member Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin does not sit well with a DAP lawmaker.
Ipoh Timor MP Wong Kah Woh slammed Muhyiddin’s comments, saying that the former prime minister is adding to the already bloated cabinet while compromising national interests.
He added that Muhyiddin is only interested in “creating a new ministry” as a shortcut in handling the power struggle between Umno and the Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional coalition.
“The nation had already had enough ministries and ministers under the short stint of Muhyiddin and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob – both with 32 ministers.
“The Pakatan Harapan’s cabinet in 2018 has only 28 members despite having more MPs (in Dewan Rakyat).”
Wong, who also chairs the Public Accounts Committee, said Muhyiddin and Ismail Sabri even split the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry into three, not due to the complexity of the work but merely a “job creation exercise” to gain support among government MPs.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin reiterated that the party’s quota in the cabinet should not be compromised and urged Ismail Sabri to quickly decide on the matter.
“If the PM wants to appoint Zuraida, it is in his right, but the Bersatu quota cannot be taken away. Who knows, he (prime minister) may want to create a new ministry for Zuraida, it is also in his rights to do so,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Two days ago, Zuraida had said she hoped to be allowed to keep her portfolio even though she resigned from the cabinet and Bersatu on May 26. – The Vibes, June 22, 2022