Salahuddin Ayub, the Minister of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living, died in office on 23 July 2023 as a result of brain hemorrhage.[2]Armizan Mohd Ali, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs & Special Duties) was then appointed to replace Salahuddin as the acting minister on 30 July 2023.[3] His death triggered the cabinet reshuffle as the vacant position he left was expected to be filled in the cabinet reshuffle. Before the reshuffle, speculations and rumours about the reshuffle have been rife. In response, Anwar, Deputy Prime MinistersAhmad Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah as well as other Cabinet ministers neither confirmed nor denied.[4][5][6][7][8][9] They and other Members of Parliament (MPs) also stressed that carrying out a reshuffle is the prerogative of Anwar as the Prime Minister.[10][11] Some political parties also voiced their opinions on the reshuffle.[12] Anwar added that the vacant position would only be filled when there was a suitable candidate.[13] Fadillah added that Anwar would carry out the reshuffle based on skillset, knowledge and expertise of an individual.[14] On 11 December 2023, it was confirmed that the cabinet reshuffle would be carried out with the swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers taking place at the Istana Negara at 2.30 pm the following day on 12 December 2023.[15]
Changes
Minister changes
While retaining their positions, both Deputy Prime Ministers Zahid and Fadillah were assigned with additional portfolios. Zahid is also responsible for National Disaster Management Agency, while Fadillah is responsible for Sabah and Sarawak, a portfolio which was held by Armizan Mohd Ali, now permanently appointed as Minister of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living and reassigned into new portfolio, namely Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utility, a new portfolio created after the previous Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change was split into two ministries, the other one being Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability which is being held by Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. He was previously the NRECC minister. Meanwhile, Fadillah's previous portfolio, the Minister of Plantations and Commodities was held by Johari Abdul Ghani, which made his first ministerial appointment after five years.
The Ministry of Communications and Digital, which was led by Fahmi Fadzil, was another ministry that was split. He went on to become the Minister of Communications, while Gobind Singh Deo returned to the cabinet as the Minister of Digital, a portfolio that once being held by himself from 2018 until 2020 under the name of Ministry of Communications and Multimedia.
To assist Anwar as Minister of Finance, former chief executive officer of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Amir Hamzah Azizan was appointed as the ministry's second minister. His appointment as Senator hours before reshuffle announcement sparked rumours that he will joins the cabinet.
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