3 Cabinet Posts Up For Grabs With A 4th To Go Vacant When Tengku Zafrul S Senatorship Expires On Dec 2

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WITH at least four vacancies stacking up, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim maybe left with little choice but to embark on a Cabinet reshuffle after the 17th Sabah state election on Nov 29.
This came about after UPKO president Datuk Ewon Benedick became the third minister to step down on the basis of pride and dignity after Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad did so by vacating their ministership following their defeats in the May 2025 national PKR polls.
Ewon who quit as Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister late Saturday (Nov 8) has cited disagreement with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) filing an appeal over the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s Oct 17 ruling on Sabah’s entitlement to 40% of federal revenue collected in the state.

The 42-year-old Penampang MP who has begun to clear his leave said he did so on grounds of principle given it is Sabah’s constitutional right to 40% of federal revenue as provided for under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Federal Constitution.
Joining Ewon, Rafizi and Nik Nazmi (both had by end-May quit as economy minister and natural resources and environmental sustainability minister respectively) is Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz whose second and final senatorship term is due to expire on Dec 2.

The now PKR man was first appointed to the Dewan Negara on March 9, 2020 under the UMNO ticket following which he served as finance minister first under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under PM8 Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and later during the PN-Barisan Nasional government under PM9 Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Along the way, his tenure was granted a re-appointment for the period Dec 3, 2022 to Dec 2, 2025.
Currently, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan and Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani are temporarily managing the economy and natural-resources ministries.
Nurul Izzah to fill void?
Of the four impeding vacancies, that of Tengku Zafrul’s seems to be most attention grabbing with former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim calling on the opposition “to finish him off once and for all”.
“GE16 (16th General Election) is due in February 2028. There is one candidate that I would love to see defeated and his name is Tengku Zafrul,” he penned in a recent social media post.

“He’s one of those key men responsible for making this country a vassal state of the US. The opposition must find its strongest candidate to finish him off once and for all. Of course, the yellow parachute may still find him a haven but the rakyat must give their utmost.”
On a more serious note, the New Straits Times (NST) expects three of the four portfolios currently held by Pakatan Harapan (PH) appointees to remain under the coalition while discussions with Barisan Nasional (BN) may determine the fourth.
Within PKR, potential replacements reportedly include deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar and vice-presidents Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Datuk Seri R. Ramanan.
In Sabah, UPKO honorary president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau has also been mentioned as a possible successor to Ewon.
PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar (left) with the party’s voce-president and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (Image credit: Nurul Izzah Anwar/Facebook)For Tengku Zafrul’s portfolio, speculation has centred on former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican who currently heads the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).
NST also reported that on-going Cabinet reshuffle talk has fuelled chatter of a possible early GE16 which could coincide with upcoming state polls in Melaka, Sarawak and Johor.
The report noted that discussions have taken place within the Madani government on aligning the polls as the three state assemblies are due to dissolve between December 2026 and April 2027.
This raises the possibility of the federal and state elections being timed closer together for logistical and political efficiency. –  Focus Malaysia

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