A cabinet minister has again shot down claims that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will reshuffle his cabinet after Hari Raya Puasa, which falls in July this year, saying he has heard nothing nor smelt anything strange in the air.

"There is no such thing. No reshuffle," Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said.

“There hasn't been any talk on possibility of a cabinet revamp and the prime minister hasn't mentioned this on any occasion.

“Even at the cabinet meeting today, there was nothing strange (in the atmosphere). We are happy, the cabinet is like a family.

“So, I don't know where these rumours come from," Nazri told Malaysiakini , adding that he was perplexed as to why Umno-linked daily New Straits Times reported that the revamp would loom after Hari Raya, which falls in July this year.

"There are people saying I will be dropped. Such rumours have been circulating many times, but I am still around," he said.

Both Nazri and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein have dismissed speculation of an impending cabinet reshuffle.

 

Umno blogger Shabudin Husin claimed that the recent visit to Saudi Arabia by Najib was to prepare for a cabinet reshuffle, which could also see Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin being sacked.

Meanwhile, Nazri confirmed that the cabinet this morning continued to discuss the 1MDB issue, but refused to divulge details.

"There was no tension, just like last week," Nazri said.

Najib was on June 1 reported by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia as telling his cabinet members to resign if they do not support him in his way of dealing with 1MDB  fiasco.