NEW TEAM-NAJIB ADMINISTRATION 2009

CONGRATULATIONS...Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak shaking hands with his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after he announced the Cabinet line-up in Putrajaya today

Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak

Deputy Prime Minister
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department
Tan Sri Datuk Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Unity Affairs and Performance Management)
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (Justice and & Parliament)
Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Economic Planning Unit)
Maj. Gen (R) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom (Islamic Religious Affairs)

Deputy Ministers
Datuk Liew Vui Keong
Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim
Datuk S. K. Devamany
Ahmad Maslan
Senator T. Murugiah

Finance
Minister: Datuk Seri Najib Razak
Minister II: Datuk Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlan
Deputy: Datuk Chor Chee Heung
Deputy: Senator Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussein

Education
Minister: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputy: Datuk Dr. Wee Ka Siong
Deputy: Datuk Dr Puad Zakarshi

Transport
Minister: Datuk Ong Tee Keat
Deputy: Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri
Deputy: Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew

Entrepreneurship, Agriculture and Commodities
Minister: Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Deputy: Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin

Home
Minister: Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein
Deputy: Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop
Deputy: Encik Jelaing Mersat

Information, Communication, Arts and Culture
Minister: Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Deputy: Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum
Deputy: Senator Heng Seai Kie

Energy, Green Technology and Water
Minister: Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy: Noriah Kasnon

Rural and Regional Development
Minister: Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
Deputy: Datuk Hassan Malek
Deputy: Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun

Higher Education
Minister: Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin
Deputy: Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung
Deputy: Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah

International Trade and Industry
Minister: Datuk Mustapa Mohamad
Deputy: Datuk Mukhriz bin Tun Dr Mahathir
Deputy: Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan

Science, Technology and Innovation
Minister: Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy: Encik Fadillah Yusof

Natural resources and Environment
Minister: Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas
Deputy: Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

Tourism
Minister: Datuk Ng Yen Yen
Deputy: Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries
Minister: Datuk Noh Omar
Deputy: Datuk Johari Baharum
Deputy: Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim

Defence
Minister: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Deputy: Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad

Works
Minister: Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Deputy: Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

Health
Minister: Datuk Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy: Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shilin

Youth and Sports
Minister: Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Deputy: Datuk Razali Ibrahim
Deputy: Encik Wee Jeck Seng

Human Resources
Minister: Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam
Deputy: Datuk Maznah Mazlan (Senator)

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Minister: Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Deputy: Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

Housing and Local Government
Minister: Datuk Kong Cho Ha
Deputy: Datuk Lajim Ukin

Women’s Development, Family and Community
Minister: Senator Datuk Shahrizat Jalil
Deputy: Datuk Paduka Chew Mei Fun

Foreign
Minister: Datuk Anifah Aman
Deputy: Senator A. Kohilan Pillay
Deputy: Datuk Lee Chee Leong

Federal Territories
Minister: Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin
Deputy: Datuk M. Saravanan

FACTS

Najib was at Istana Terengganu in Kuala Lumpur at about 10:57am where he had a 30-min audience with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan, before leaving for Putrajaya where he announced the new line-up at 3pm.

The premier had spent the last five days juggling names and positions to take into consideration the requests and views of various Barisan Nasional component parties.

Najib’s Cabinet is slightly smaller than his predecessor’s 32 ministers and 27 ministries.

The unexpected Umno leaders appointed to the Najib Administration today is Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, made the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry while his rival, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, did not get a posting.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a 28-member Cabinet with 25 ministries that saw eight ministers dropped and seven new faces appointed. Dropped from the Cabinet are stalwarts Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, Datuk Azalina Othman, Datuk Amirsham Aziz, datuk Zulhasnan Rafique and Datuk Ong Ka Chuan.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in unveiling his new 28-Minister, 40 Deputy Ministers administration, confirmed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Deputy Prime Minister and moved to Education Ministry.

The three Umno vice-presidents were given key ministries - Datuk Seri Hishammudin Hussein as Home Minister, Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Defence) and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (Rural Development).

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil made the expected return to the cabinet in her old Ministry, Women, Family and Community Development

The major surprise is Datuk Anifah Aman getting the Foreign Minister's post, a first for a Sabahan.

Seven ministers retained their respective portfolios namely Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Prime Minister's Department), Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat (Transport), Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (Higher Education), Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili (Science, Technology and Innovation), Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas (Natural Resources and Environment), Datuk Liow Tiong Lai (Health) and Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam (Human Resources).

Najib retained the veteran Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, who went back to familiar territory as Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Communications.

Retained Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, a vociferous critic of tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to take the lead in Justice and Parliament, especially in countering the opposition bloc in the Dewan Rakyat.

The new Cabinet also a reflection of the slogan “One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” adopted by Najib’s administration.

Najib said that the new members of the administration were highly spirited and ready to serve.

“I am confident that all of them share the same commitment to spur the nation towards excellence. This is our lineup and our team which reflects Malaysia’s plural society".

MY COMMENTS

CAN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION DELIVER FOR THE PEOPLE?

Najib has pledged major political reforms within Umno and the BN. The team has the choice to make change or will be changed" by voters in the next 13th general election.

Can all of them stand up to public scrutiny? People may grading the Najib's cabinet later. The new administration must pass the test of a clean slate of Ministers which meets the slogan or benchmarks of “One Malaysia, People First & Performance Now.”

I hope, Malaysians have faith and confidence to expect greater efficiency and productivity. Let us now see how Najib's team fights........

Source: From BERNAMA, New Strait Times & the Star