SHAH ALAM – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to carry out a Cabinet reshuffle following the resignations of Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar and newly elected Vice President Datuk Seri R. Ramanan are among the names widely speculated to fill the vacancies.
Ilham Centre research fellow Mujibu Abd Muis said the reshuffle may also involve other leaders who lost in the party’s recent internal elections.
"We’re looking at the possibility of whether the Cabinet reshuffle will happen immediately or wait until another senator and minister (Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz) completes his term soon," he told Sinar yesterday.
According to Mujibu, those selected to fill the vacancies must be chosen based on merit and their capability to carry out the roles, especially the Economy Minister’s post, which is highly challenging at present.
"This is because issues surrounding fiscal policy, subsidy rationalisation, and policies implemented during Rafizi’s tenure may still be under public scrutiny.
"Given that the government is now in its third year of administration, the public will want to see the outcomes of those mechanisms. This will be the challenge for the next minister,” he said.
Mujibu believes this year could be the final opportunity for the Prime Minister to carry out a Cabinet reshuffle.
"The government is currently in its third year of the 15th parliamentary term. The fourth and fifth years will likely focus more on preparations for the 16th General Election. So if a Cabinet reshuffle is needed, this is the year to do it,” he said.
On Ramanan, Mujibu said the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Deputy Minister is a strong contender to be appointed a full minister should the reshuffle take place.
He said that apart from Ramanan’s position as the second-highest PKR vice president after Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Nik Nazmi’s resignation increases the likelihood of Ramanan filling the vacancy.
"Since Nik Nazmi has just announced his resignation, that post may be a natural fit for Ramanan as a vice president of PKR.
"If we look at the four vice presidents, the only one still holding a ministerial post is Chang Lih Kang (Science, Technology and Innovation Minister), but he ranks the lowest in hierarchy.
"So there is a strong possibility for Ramanan to be appointed as a full minister,” he said.