The cabinet reshuffle today saw the end of the road for MCA vice president Chua Jui Meng who was dropped as the health minister. He was replaced by Johor MCA chief Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Also dropped is the MCA central committee member Chor Chee Heung, who was the deputy home minister. Another minister dropped was Science, Technology and Environment Minister Law Hieng Deng.

National Unity and Social Development minister Siti Zaharah Sulaiman and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tengku Adnan Mansor were not retained as well.

In announcing his cabinet line up today, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi introduced a number of new ministers and had retained senior ministers S Samy Vellu and Rafidah Aziz, despite much pressure to drop them.

He also unveiled an enlarged cabinet, merging some ministries and creating new ones.

Addressing the press, Abdullah said three ministries - home, education, culture, arts and tourism - would be broken up, five ministries renamed and two new ones formed.

New ministries

The two new ministries will be the Natural Resources and Environment ministry, and a specific ministry for Wilayah Persekutuan.

He has also announced that the Land and Cooperative Development ministry will be scrapped.

In addition, three ministries will be further divided to streamline its functions. The home ministry will be divided into Internal Security ministry, helmed by Abdullah and Home Affairs ministry, to be headed by Azmi Khalid.

Among the changes include Umno Youth chief Hishamuddin Hussein taking over the education ministry while Puteri Umno head Azalina Othman helming the youth and sports portfolio.

The premier added that the rotation system for the chief minister's post in Sabah will be discontinued.

"All these changes are made to ensure effective and efficient government service. The economy will benefit from the changes," he told the press.