WITH Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin’s job on the line, a former deputy minister urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to assume the post for himself if he decides to sack her.
“I have several reasons in making this suggestion. The main reason is because we already have a ‘gigantic’ Cabinet team, consisting of 31 ministers with four of them being senior ministers.
“And we have 37 deputy ministers, on top of that. This 68 people are excluding ministerial-rank envoys, ambassadors who also hold MP posts and advisers to the prime minister who also receive fay pay cheques,” Steven Sim said, in a statement.
Last week, Zuraida announced that she was leaving Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).
While he has yet to resign from her ministerial post, Bersatu had insisted that the prime minister appoint someone from the party to fill in the position.
Yesterday, Ismail Sabri said that Zuraida will remain as Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) Minister until he decides otherwise upon his return from Japan.
“Zuraida is still a minister until she meets me. Even when she meets me, I don’t know if there will be a decision then.
“Meaning, I will decide if she stops being a minister and appoint a new minister – if I appoint a new minister. So, we don’t know yet. Until then, we continue as normal,” Malaysiakini reported him as saying.
Touching on the matter, Sim said the public would not take it lightly if Ismail Sabri appoints someone else to the post, given that they were already fuming over its size.
This is even true now given the Government’s failure in addressing rising cost of living, which is affecting chicken prices to soar rapidly due to supply shortage.
Reduce friction between BN, Perikatan
On the political side of it, Sim stated that by Ismail Sabri assuming the post for himself for the time being, it would reduce friction between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (Perikatan).
“We all know about the ongoing power struggle between BN and Perikatan. By assuming the post for himself, Ismail Sabri would not create more animosity between the warring factions.
“The move will also reduce power struggle and get our leaders to be more focused on nation building instead,” the Bukit Mertajam MP opined.
Sin added that with the current term expiring in a year, there was no point in appointing a new minister for MPIC as the person will take several months to get used to the job.
“If the new minister is inefficient, it will be seen as providing the new person a ‘honeymoon post’ with little contribution made to the ministry or the people.
“That is why I urge Ismail Sabri to assume the post instead. Besides, he won’t be overwhelmed given that two deputy ministers at MPIC will be assisting him,” he remarked. – May 29, 2022
Main photo credit: HarakahDaily
