Six new senators have been appointed and included in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's new cabinet today.

In a statement issued by Parliament, the six are Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Chew Mei Fun, Awang Adek Hussin, Jamil Khir Baharom and Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

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They are to be sworn in at 4pm in the Dewan Negara.

Shahrizat is the Umno Wanita chief and was the women, family and community development minister before losing her Lembah Pantai MP seat in the last general election.

And Chew was Shahrizat's deputy at the ministry before she too lost her Petaling Jaya Utara seat. She is the MCA women's wing head.

Koh is the Gerakan president and he too was defeated in the last general election. He was former chief minister of Penang.

Awang Adek was a former deputy governor of Bank Negara before being named as a deputy finance minister. He is also a former Kelantan Umno deputy chief. He also lost in the last general election.

Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin is a businessman and an Umno leader from Federal Territory.

Jamil Khir Baharom is the director of Religious Corp of the Malaysian Armed Forces.

Najib seeks king's consent

Earlier Najib had a 30-minute meeting this morning audience with King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin over the new cabinet line-up.

Najib Abdul Razak takes over as prime minister in Putrajaya Najib arrived at Istana Terengganu at about 11am and left just shortly after 11.35am.

The meeting is to allow Najib to seek the king's consent on the cabinet line-up.

Najib later announced his cabinet members at 3pm at the Prime Minister's Department.

The six new senators were included in the new line-up.

Shahrizat has been appointed women, family and community development minister while Chew will be her deputy.

Koh has been named minister in the PM's Department and put in charge of 'unity and performance'.

Jamil Khir has also been tapped as a minister in the PM's Dept to be in charge of religious affairs.

Meanwhile, Raja Nong Chik is the new federal territories minister, while Awang Adek has been named deputy finance minister.