Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced reshuffling of his Cabinet today (Dec 12) in the first change to his leadership since he took over the administration a year ago.
Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan was appointed as Second Minister of Finance to help shoulder the responsibility for the ministerial post.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar currently holds the position of Finance Minister.
Amir Hamzah has just sworn as Dewan Negara senator this morning, in front of speaker Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
The Communication and Digital Ministry was split into two ministries, Communication Ministry and Digital Ministry to enhance its effectiveness as Anwar said his administration was criticised for communication and dissemination of information.
“Digital transformation is the focus of this administration,” Anwar said.
Another ministry that was split was Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry, now divided into the Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry, and the Natural Resources and Sustainability Ministry.
Under the previous Cabinet line-up, the Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions portfolio was held by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, who was also Acting Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living following the death of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub last July.
However, Sabah and Sarawak Affairs is now a new ministry, no longer under the Prime Minister’s Department, helmed by Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who retained Deputy Prime Minister’s post.
He was also appointed as the new Energy Transition and Public Utilities Minister.
Gobind Singh Deo, who was previously a Cabinet member under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pakatan Harapan administration, will helm the newly formed Digital Ministry.
Steven Sim has been appointed the new Human Resources Minister while former minister V. Sivakumar has been dropped from the Cabinet.
Others that had been dropped from the Cabinet are former deputy minister in the prime minister’s department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh and former plantation and commodities deputy minister Datuk Siti Aminah Aching.
Former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad made a comeback as the new Health Minister, replacing Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani appointed as the new Plantation and Commodities Minister replacing Datuk Seri Haji Fadillah Yusof, who retained his Deputy Prime Minister Post, and two other portfolios.
Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who was previously the defence minister, is now the new Foreign Minister while Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, who was the previous foreign minister, will now helmed the Higher Education Ministry.
Meanwhile, for deputy ministerial post, Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad was appointed as the new Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister.
She was a Higher Education Minister under Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration for about 7 months.
Meanwhile, Sungai Buloh MP Datuk R. Ramanan appointed as the new Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Deputy Minister. Taiping MP Wong Kah Woh is the new Education Deputy Minister.
DAP lawmaker M. Kulasegaran the new Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform). He was the human resource minister under Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s administration.
Other new face on the line up is Islamic Science University Malaysia (Usim) vice-rector Prof Dr Zulkifli Hasan, who has been appointed as Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs). He was sworn in as a Senator in Dewan Negara this morning.
There are 31 ministers in Anwar’s revamped Cabinet, who will be aided by 29 deputy ministers. This is slightly larger than his initial 28-member Cabinet, which was assisted by 27 deputy ministers, including the Prime Minister and two Deputy Prime Ministers.
The previous Cabinet was formed by the unity government in December 2022.
Government news agency said a swearing-in ceremony of federal ministers is scheduled to be held at the Istana Negara at 2.30pm.
New Faces
Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan as the new Second Finance Minister.
Gobind Singh Deo as the new Digital Minister.
Datuk R. Ramanan appointed as the new Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Deputy Minister.
Taiping MP Wong Kah Woh as the new Education Deputy Minister.
Prof Dr Zulkifli Hasan as the new Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs).
M. Kulasegaran as the new Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform).
Returning Faces
Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad returns back as the new Health Minister replacing Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani appointed as the new Plantation and Commodities Minister replacing Datuk Seri Haji Fadillah Yusof.
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof retains Deputy Prime Minister’s post, Energy Transition and Public Utilities Minister (newly formed ministry) and Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Minister.
Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is the new Foreign Minister, replacing Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir is the new Higher Education Minister.
Datuk Noraini Ahmad is the new Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister.
(See full lists of changes in portfolios)
New Ministries
- Communication and Digital Ministry split into two ministries, Communication Ministry and Digital Ministry
Communication Ministry
Minister: Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil
Deputy Minister: Teo Nie Ching
Digital Ministry
Minister: Gobind Singh Deo
Deputy Minister: Datuk Ugak Kumbong
2. Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry, now divided into the Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry, and the Natural Resources and Sustainability Ministry.
Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof
Deputy Minister: Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir
Natural Resources and Sustainability Ministry
Minister: Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Deputy Minister: Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii
Full List of New Cabinet Members:
The new list of Cabinet members is as follows:
Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (retain)
Deputies
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (retain)
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (retain)
Finance
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (retain)
Finance II
Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan (new)
Deputy
Lim Hui Ying (previously deputy minister of education)
Rural and Regional Development
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (retain)
Deputy
Datuk Rubiah Wang (retain)
Energy transition and Public Utilities
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (new)
Deputy
Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (previously local government development minister)
Sabah and Sarawak Affairs
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (new)
Transport
Anthony Loke Siew Fook (retain)
Deputy
Datuk Hasbi Habibollah (retain)
Agriculture and Food Security
Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu
Deputy
Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup (previously deputy minister of science, technology and innovation)
Economic Affairs
Rafizi Ramli (retain)
Deputy
Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib (retain)
Local Government Development
Nga Kor Ming (retain)
Deputy
Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu (previously deputy minister of women, family and community development)
Foreign Affairs
Datuk Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Hasan (former defence minister)
Deputy
Datuk Mohamad Alamin (retain)
Works
Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (retain)
Deputy
Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (former finance deputy minister)
Home Affairs
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (retain)
Deputy
Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (retain)
Investment, Trade and Industry
Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz (retain)
Deputy
Liew Chin Tong (retain)
Defence
Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin (previously higher education minister)
Deputy
Adly Zahari (retain)
Science, Innovation and Technology
Chang Lih Kang (retain)
Deputy
Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal (retain)
Women, Family and Community Development
Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (retain)
Deputy
Noraini Ahmad (new)
Natural Resources and Sustainability
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (new, previously natural resources, environment and climate change minister)
Deputy
Datuk Seri Sri Huang Tiong Sii (new, previously natural resources, environment and climate change deputy)
Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development
Datuk Ewon Benedick (retain)
Deputy
Datuk R Ramanan (new)
Higher Education
Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir (previously foreign affairs minister)
Deputy
Datuk Mustapha Sakmud (previously deputy minister of human resources)
Tourism, Arts and Culture
Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (retain)
Deputy
Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan (retain)
Communications
Fahmi Fadzil (new, former communication and digital minister)
Deputy
Teo Nie Ching (new, former communication and digital deputy minister)
Education
Fadhlina Sidek (retain)
Deputy
Wong Kah Woh (new)
National Unity
Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (retain)
Deputy
K. Saraswathy (entrepreneur development and cooperatives deputy minister)
Youth and Sports
Hannah Yeoh (retain)
Deputy
Adam Adli (retain)
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living
Datuk Armizan Ali (former acting domestic trade and cost of living minister and minister in the prime minister’s department for Sabah, Sarawak affairs and special functions)
Deputy
Fuziah Salleh (retain)
Plantation and Commodities
Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani (new)
Deputy
Chan Foong Hin (former agriculture and food security deputy minister)
Health
Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad (new)
Deputy
Datuk Seri Lukanisman Awang Sauni (retain)
Digital
Gobind Singh Deo (new)
Deputy
Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong (former deputy minister in the prime minister’s department for Sabah, Sarawak affairs and special functions)
Human Resources
Steven Sim (new, former deputy finance minister II)
Deputy
Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad (former works minister)
Federal Territories
Dr Zaliha Mustafa (former health minister)
Prime Minister’s Department
i) Law and Institutional Reform
Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (retain)
Deputy
M. Kulasegaran (new)
ii) Religious Affairs
Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar (retain)
Deputy
Prof Dr Zulkifli Hassan (new)
