Report claims Saifuddin Nasution to replace Muhyiddin as home minister
KUALA LUMPUR Sept 4 — Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail will be the new home minister in an upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Utusan Malaysia reported today.
The Malay daily cited an unnamed source as claiming that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng will also have a portfolio change.
However, the news report did not provide any quotes from the so-called source to support the claim. It also did not mention which portfolios Lim and incumbent Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin are likely to take up next.
The online-only news report by Utusan did not indicate when the reshuffle will take place, only saying it will happen when Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad makes the announcement.
Dr Mahathir has confirmed the possibility of some “slight changes” in the portfolios of his Pakatan Harapan (PH) Cabinet, but that there would not be any new ministerial appointments amid speculation that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim could be an addition.
Other lawmakers who have been named as potential Cabinet candidates include Jeli MP Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed who was formerly international trade and industry minister in the Najib administration.
“There is no Cabinet reshuffle, no new ministers. I told the Cabinet, maybe there will be a slight change in portfolios. But nothing has been decided yet.
“If there is change, I will let you know,” he told reporters on August 22.
Rumours about a Cabinet reshuffle have been circulating for months after controversial statements by some of its members resulted in social media backlash.
Dr Mahathir has been forced to defend his Cabinet each time, attributing the negative perception to the relative inexperience of some ministers.
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