Cabinet Reshuffle More Than Likely With Ewon Out And Zafrul S Term Ending

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The rumoured cabinet reshuffle is more than likely to occur soon, after Ewon Benedick quit as the entrepreneurship and cooperatives development minister over disagreements on Sabah's 40 percent revenue entitlement.
At the minimum, there will be two vacancies after Dec 2, when Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz's second and final term as senator expires.
The terms of three other senator ministers - Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Na'im Mokhtar - are also due to end on Dec 2.
However, the trio are only on their first term as senators, and a three-year extension is the more probable outcome.
Earlier this year, the cabinet also suffered from the resignations of two ministers - Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad - who quit after failing to secure a leadership position in the PKR party polls.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim plugged these gaps by having two ministers - Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan and Plantation and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani - shoulder the vacant portfolios.
Upko president Ewon BenedickEwon's ministry is relatively minor and could be absorbed by another minister, such as Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, whose rural and regional development portfolio also deals with entrepreneurship programmes.
Who will replace Zafrul?
However, Zafrul’s trade portfolio is important and may necessitate the appointment of a replacement minister.
This is to ensure undivided attention on trade and investments, as global trade remained turbulent.
Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul AzizPreviously, there was speculation that Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari might be elevated to replace Zafrul.
This can be justified by playing up Amirudin's experience helming the country’s most industrious state, and the top destination for foreign direct investments.
Elevating Amirudin can also be justified as filling PKR's cabinet quota - which is short of two after Rafizi and Nik Nazmi’s departure.
Such a move would open an opportunity for Anwar to install someone more closely aligned to him at Selangor's helm.
Selangor MB Amirudin Shari and PM Anwar IbrahimIt was speculated that the prime minister has a preference for Seri Setia assemblyperson Fahmi Ngah, whose name was reportedly put up for consideration for menteri besar together with Amirudin after the 2023 state election.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu told the press yesterday that Anwar is expected to brief the cabinet about the reshuffle rumours tomorrow.
Besides plugging gaps, a reshuffle may also be Anwar's last chance at improving public perception of his cabinet ahead of a general election that observers believe could be held by early 2027. - Mkini

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