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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said the ministers and deputy ministers in his newly named "slim and trim" Cabinet will perform better than the previous administration.
"I believe that with the choice we have made, we will be able to fulfil our agenda. I would like to tell you that this term we would go into vigorous
implementation of our policies and projects."
Speaking after naming part of his new Cabinet, the Prime Minister made clear that the line-up is a reflection of the choices made by the people in the recent general election.
"I have heard many times, and read many articles and comments by the people who said Pak Lah (Abdullah) has worked out the policies well, but is short on implementation.
"We were very much involved in how the projects would be implemented and this has taken a lot of time. It is my intention to ensure that all these projects are implemented vigorously and they meet their respective objectives," he told a packed press conference at Putrajaya.
The new Cabinet line-up saw Prime Minister Abdullah dropping seven ministers who won the recent general election and appointing two corporate figures as ministers.
Elevated to the post of senators are two corporate figures, prominent lawyer Zaid Ibrahim and Maybank Chief Executive Officer Amirsham A. Aziz, both of whom will be ministers in the Prime Minister's Department.
Zaid, a former Member of Parliament for Kota Baharu, has been entrusted with the responsibility of restoring the people's confidence in the judicial system, while Amirsham will head the Economic Planning Unit (EPU).
There were no changes in the finance portfolio, which stays under the Prime Minister's charge, and in the posts of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister which remain under Najib Tun Razak.
The Education portfolio remains with Hishammudin Hussein, while the Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar stays in the Cabinet with a new portfolio as Home Minister.
The post of Foreign Minister has been given to Rais Yatim, while the new Trade Minister is Muhyiddin Yassin, replacing Rafidah Aziz, one of seven ministers dropped.
Also out are Radzi Sheikh Ahmad who was Home Affairs Minister and Umno secretary-general; Azmi Khalid (Natural Resources and Environment); Jamaludin Jarjis (Science, Technology and Innovation) and Adnan Mansor (Tourism).
The two others are MCA president Ong Ka Ting (Housing and Local Government), who asked not to be reappointed so as to concentrate on rebuilding the party following its dismal performance in the general election, and Fong Chan Onn(Human Resources). - Bernama/sf
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