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In PM's Dept reshuffle, is Azalina poised to take over law portfolio?

Speculation is rife that the upcoming reshuffle for ministers in the Prime Minister's Department will see Azalina Othman Said taking over the law portfolio from Nancy Shukri.

A source familiar with the matter confirmed that there was such chatter going on.

However, Azalina herself said she was in the dark on this.

"I don't even know what will happen in the next 10 minutes of my life, so how to know about this?

"Whatever it is, it is the prerogative of the prime minister to make any changes or directives," the Pengerang MP told Malaysiakini.

Malaysiakini is attempting to get a response from Nancy, whose fate in the impending reshuffle is currently unknown.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak yesterday reshuffled his cabinet for the third time, and said changes in portfolios for ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, would follow soon.

Following yesterday's shake-up, there are nine ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, including Azalina and Nancy. The others are Abdul Rahman Dahlan, Wee Ka Siong, Shahidan Kassim, Paul Low, Joseph Entulu Anak Belaun, Joseph Kurup, and Jamil Khir Baharom.

Azalina had been a practising lawyer, and in her current capacity as the minister in charge of Parliament, often used legal arguments when carrying out her duties.

This included using the sub judice defence when turning down opposition queries regarding 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion donation into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal accounts.

Azalina was made a minister for a third time in Najib's second cabinet reshuffle last year.

She had previously served as tourism minister from 2008 to 2009, and as youth and sports minister from 2004 to 2008 during Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's premiership.

Meanwhile, analysts from Sarawak, Jeniri Amir and Awang Azman Awang Pawi, both said there might be a chance that Najib may pick a Sarawakian to the post of minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

This follows unhappiness from Sarawak BN over Najib's decision to not promote deputy rural and regional development minister Alexander Nanta Linggi to take over the ministry, after Douglas Uggah Embas vacated the post to contest in the state polls.

"I think the prime minister will put in at least one Dayak minister as damage control," Universiti Malaya's Awang Azman told Malaysiakini.

Jeniri, however, is more inclined to believe that the reshuffle will focus more on strengthening Najib's position, than placating Sarawak.

He also believes that shifting Nancy to another portfolio would not upset Sarawak BN, if the portfolio is suitable for the Batang Sadong MP.

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