PM’s cabinet tweak unimpressive, analysts say
KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Two new ministers and four new deputy ministers take their oaths of office today but Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s move to appoint those who lost in Election 2008 to the executive have not impressed political analysts.
Three of the newly appointed deputy ministers had to take their oath as senators first, to be part of a wider reshuffle in Najib’s Cabinet tweak, his first since taking power in April 2009. His Cabinet now has five senators as full ministers while 11 senators are deputy ministers.
The four senators appointed as deputy ministers this week were MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel (Plantation Industries and Commodities); MCA vice-president Datuk Donald Lim (Finance); People’s Progressive Party (PPP) vice-president Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz (Information Communication and Culture); and MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu (Youth and Sports).
Analysts have dismissed Najib’s cabinet changes as unsurprising, saying the prime minister was offering nothing new with less than three years before the next general election.
Some also pointed out that the tweak was only meant to accommodate the changes in MCA leadership.
Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said Najib did not have the political will to exert change to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) coalition politics.
“I think it is disappointing because he has stuck to the convention of Barisan Nasional especially by appointing Cabinet members according to the coalition parties. The Cabinet reshuffle also does not bode well with Najib’s premiership,” Khoo told The Malaysian Insider.
He also questioned a number of appointments that Najib announced earlier this week.
“How can he appoint Palanivel as a deputy minister when Barisan Nasional rejected him as its candidate in the Hulu Selangor by-election?
“I think this is quite questionable, and other appointments are also questionable. Like Donald Lim, he has been [there] and done that and was completely rejected in the last election,” Khoo added.
UKM political science lecturer Dr Mohamad Agus Yusoff added that ministers and deputy ministers should be elected by the public.
“Senators should not be appointed as a minister or a deputy minister but the ministers should be members of Parliament. Why should Najib give the position to a senator? What is so special about them that they have to be appointed as ministers?
“I do not see anything special about them. It is ironic that they were appointed by the prime minister but rejected by the people,” he said.
However, USM political scientist Dr Sivamurugam Pandian explained that Najib had to accommodate the coalition parties.
“In this situation, it seems that the prime minister was forced to appoint senators as deputy ministers because they have high positions within their own parties. Parties will submit their names to him and if he does not appoint them, then he may risk alienating the parties,” he said.
One analyst was, however, surprised with the appointment of MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s son, Labis MP Chua Tee Yong.
Nevertheless, Monash University Malaysia political scientist James Chin did not believe there would be any political repercussion even though the decision to appoint the younger Chua was highly unpopular.
“I am surprised by how blatant Chua Soi lek is because most people thought that he was quite a sophisticated political player because he already put his son in the presidential council. I think it was a bit of a surprise to appoint him straight to become a deputy minister.
“[But] I don’t think there would be any backlash from the party because MCA is like Umno. It is all based on patronage and nobody would say anything as long as Chua is the president. They will grumble behind [his] back but they would not say anything in public,” he said.
Najib and Dr Chua have defended the appointment of the latter’s son, denying there was any form of nepotism involved or that they had brokered an agreement.
All these were just setereo-type opposition response to any cabinet reshuffle. These people will response positivley if PM Najib make it a point to seek advice from them. Who they think they are ? PM Najib has the full constitutional powers to appoint anybody into the cabinet.
ReplyDeleteSince when you notice opposition people hailing cabinet reshuffle ? Sure enough these people would not do it bcos they planning to take over the government the next time. How can they praise the government when they have so much conflict of interests in this political race to grab power ?
To all those so called political analyst mentioned above, pls bear in mind your opinion has little value. If PM Najib should listen to you, think like the way you think, act like the way you act, he might as well vacate the seat for J4OTK to take over ?
So easy meh ? to rule a country ? How many supporters you have ? Have you ever participated in a political party ?
CSL has to, by hook or by crook, recommend his son (later push all responsibility of the appointment to PM and perhaps PM will push to Agong). This is simply because this is the last hope already as when next MCA election come, there will be new President. Or MCA get wiped out in GE13. Elvis said, it's now or never.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDelete"Elvis has left the building"!!
CSL cannot be the savior for he himself is culprit. MCA can only expect rebirth by his remover.
Ask the Chinese community or conduct a survey if you are skeptical..
These dead rotten putrefied meat like Donald Lim and Kong Cho Ha are brought back. For What?
ReplyDeleteThe tuberculous germ of MIC is scolding MCA pornsident, MCA and The Star. MCA partner in crime is promising to bare MCA dirty secrets in Samt Vellu's flaccid organ Tamil Nesan. When there is no more honour amongst thieves, then the BN world is a goner.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I wonder what Chua Soi Lek's organ will do.
The game plan of this blog is to disrupt CSL politics, but remember CSL is not OTK, he is not easily swayed away by so-called public opinion, progagated by pro-OTK and pro-opposition bloggers.
ReplyDeleteFYI, propaganda spinning works well with OTK bcos OTK is very emotional, he has good IQ but bad EQ. CSL has both good EQ and IQ, all these half-cooked blogger would not succeed on CSL.
Thinking back, these half-cooked bloggers and OTK fans should enlighten their boss from the very beginning, not to touch CSL. Let CSL hold on to the Deputy chair to respect the decision of CDs. However, all OTK fans and bloggers are as emotional as OTK himself. A little big a provocation, they already cry for CSL blood, added with the constant provocation from Brutus group, everything finally turn into a full-blown crisis, culminating in the downfall of OTK.
Who's fault, nobody fault and everybody's fault to be exact. Who to blame, nobody to blame and everybody to blame actually.
DO NOT CRY OVER THE SPILLED MILK, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE CANNOT BE UNDONE. OTK HAS TO LEARN A LESSON SO IS THIS BLOG AND MANY OTHER SIMILARLY MINDED BLOGGERS. IT IS TIME TO CONTROL YR ANGER, TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP THE CHINESE COMMUNITY.
ReplyDeleteMCA HAS HAVE TO HELP THE CHINESE, BUT THE CHINESE MAY OR MAY NOT VOTE FOR BN. THE CHINESE HAS SO MUCH ANGER ON THE GOVERNMENT EVEN THOUGH THEIR HOUSE COMPOUND HAS NO FURTHER SPACE FOR PARKING, AFTER BUYING SEVERAL LEXUS, CAMRY, MARCEDES AND ALPHAD.
WHERE TO FIND GOOD GOVERNMENT IF PEOPLE WHO POSSES ALPHAD, MERCEDES, CAMRY STILL WHATEVER GOVRNMENT SAYS AND DO. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE THE GOVERNMENT, WHAT ABOUT THE POOR PEOPLE, THE HELPLESS PEOPLE AROUND ?
HOW MANY MORE LUXURY CARS, CONDO, BUNGALO YOU WANT TO RAKE B4 YOU SAY THE GOVERMENT IS GOOD ? OR SHOULD THE GOVERMENT SAY GIVE YOU ALL SOME MORE TAX REBATES AND INCENTIVES FOR BUYING MORE CARS. BOCS AS YOU BUY MORE CARS, CAR SALES WILL GO UP, SO YOU ARE DOING A FAVOUR TO THE SOCIETY. THAT'S WHY THE GOVERMENT SHOULD DISH OUT INCENTIVES FOR THE RICH PEOPLE TO BUY MORE CARS, AND BIGGER HOUSES SO THAT ALL CARS CAN BE PARKED INSIDE THE COMPOUND ?
MCA is a sinking boat looking for excuse. An elected president can not help the party n BN family to counter bloggers ? J4 here will be the best target to blame if BN loss in any new election. MCA should not find any excuse from the J4 here , instead must look into it seriously for any allegations which would cause the downfall of BN. J4 is for OTK and not for CSL or Brutus gang. If not about J4, the president is not CSL. Many bloggers here have overlooked OKT , the savior of MCA. OTK would be the president if he can work with the Brutus gang.The elected president has uttering excuse for the downfall of BN , his dogs barking in J4 here to justify his master words.
ReplyDeleteMCA tainted president surely have better IQ and EQ than many MCA people or else how he was able to deliberately misled the MCA central delegates to win the MCA presidential election for self serving interest which he know that those foolish MCA people will certainly take his bait. His tainted reputation and actions of cronyism speak volumn.......yet he is able to repeatedly get the support of MCA people to believe his forked tongue, that was was undoubtedly a master piece within MCA, but is supremacy among the blind and deaf good enough???......
ReplyDeleteA successful politician MUST get the support of the community who is not blind and deaf people, they will only support a hard working service orientation, truthful, Stain Free and selfless personality. Obviously MCA tainted president does not fit the bill, until then, MCA under his leadership show that they can win the community support by winning election, don't come and cowed us that he have a better IQ an EQ than Tee Keat.
Some people can't get it right and still think that MCA central delegate are the king maker....they choose a morally corrupt person as their president ....yet they want to talk about IQ and EQ... How disgusting......
Anon 1:54. Only people like Liow Tiong Lai buy Alphard. These are MCA fat cats.
ReplyDelete