Dr M: No Cabinet reshuffle, can't compare current ministers with Najib
Ida Lim
Malay Mail29 December 2018
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says there will be no reshuffling of the Cabinet. ― Bernama picMore
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 ― There will be no reshuffling of the Cabinet, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said.
Dr Mahathir said ministers in the new Pakatan Harapan administration should be given the opportunity to do better, indicating that they should not be compared against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak or the latter's Barisan Nasional-led administration.
“No Cabinet reshuffle. We will give Cabinet members a chance to improve their performance,” the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman was quoted saying in an interview transcript published by local daily New Straits Times (NST).
In the interview with editors from local media, Dr Mahathir laughed when asked about his previous comment that some ministers from his PPBM party were not performing satisfactorily.
“Who are we comparing them with? With Najib? Do you want Najib to win?
“If Najib wins, what win happen to this country? There will be more debts, more damage, oppression, corruption and theft.
“No such thing is taking place. It is a success by Bersatu. We have not heard as many complaints about corruption (like before). There are reports here and there, but people are now free, they feel relieved. That is a success,” he said.
Dr Mahathir pointed out that Malaysians can now do business and move about freely, and befriend or talk to anyone, saying: “Are those not great achievements, compared with Najib's?”
“So if we want to compare, with whom shall we (the government) be compared with? With the previous government?
“The previous government was different. We (the current government) are facing a lack of funds, but we manage to instil confidence even in foreigners, who have praised our achievements,” he said.
Dr Mahathir's Pakatan Harapan-led administration is only about seven months old, with many being first-term Cabinet members.
Pakatan Harapan had taken over the federal government after BN's shock defeat in the May 2018 elections.
Shattered Opposition
In the same interview, Dr Mahathir also commented on PPBM's acceptance of former Umno leaders after vetting them, confirming that this is part of Pakatan Harapan's strategy to obtain a two-thirds parliamentary majority.
“Yes. Personally, I do not like a two-thirds majority. I want a strong opposition.
“But as you can see, the Opposition is shattered. Everything has broken down. MIC is not functioning. MCA is not functioning, (the parties) in Sabah, they are not functioning.
“Umno has split into so many parts. Some want to remain in Umno, some want to leave, some want to give up politics.
“So, there is no credible Opposition at this moment. When I was in the government before or in BN, I used to say we need an Opposition.
“Because without an opposition, it is akin to not having a mirror. You think you are very beautiful but actually, you are very ugly,” he said
