With a cabinet reshuffle potentially not far down the pipeline, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should take a lead from the newly-minted Indian prime minister and shrink the size of his cabinet, a DAP parliamentarian says.

Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong said it was time for Najib to name a more "professional, efficient and lean cabinet".

"Najib should take a leaf off  Narendra Modi's playbook to reduce the size of his cabinet, although with the re-entry of MCA and Gerakan into the cabinet it is quite likely that the cabinet will be further bloated," Liew said.

Najib had promised that BN’s candidate Mah Siew Keong, who is also Gerakan president, will be made a full minister should he win the Teluk Intan by-election, which Mah succeeded in doing.

The BN chief had also promised MCA a place in the cabinet after the party reversed its previous decision to abstain from any government positions after its near-washout in the 13th general election.

This was among three pieces of “advice” given by Liew, who is also DAP national political education director, in a statement issued today.

Liew also suggested a full-time finance minister to be appointed in order to better handle the mounting challenges of the economy.

Najib holds the post of finance minister as well. 

“The jolt to the economy from the implementation of the goods and services tax next year further requires someone who understands the economy at helm.

“Internal accountability of our cabinet system requires a collegial check-and-balance relationship between the prime minister and the finance minister,” Liew said.  

He added that a new foreign minister who is more interested in foreign affairs will be needed to speak for the nation, claiming that the incumbent, Anifah Aman (above, left ), showed “little interest” in his job and that the diplomatic corps have complained of his frequent “disappearance”.