SHAH ALAM - Plantation and Commodities Minister Johari Ghani will immediately take on the duties and responsibilities of the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister.
This decision was confirmed by Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, who said that it was approved by the Cabinet during its meeting two days ago.
The move follows the resignation of PKR’s Setiawangsa MP, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who stepped down from his post in May.
Johari, the Titiwangsa MP, is also a vice-president of Umno.
For the record, Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli announced his resignation from the Cabinet, effective June 17, following his defeat in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) party elections on May 28.
Rafizi had said that that losing the party’s mandate meant he could no longer carry out PKR’s agenda in government and cited democratic principles where leaders who lose party support should step aside.
Later that same day, NRES Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad also tendered his resignation, effective July 4.
Like Rafizi, he attributed his departure to the outcome of the PKR party polls, acknowledging that his Cabinet position was linked to his role as a party vice president.
Nik Nazmi expressed gratitude to public servants and said he would now focus on serving his Setiawangsa constituents.
Both resignations followed their losses in the party elections.