Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said has become the new minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of law effective June 28.

The announcement was made in a statement today from the Prime Minister's Department legal affairs division corporate communications unit.

The incumbent Nancy Shukri would oversee the Malaysian Innovation Agency, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (Might) and the Malaysian Nuclear Agency.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak previously mentioned during his cabinet reshuffle on June 27 that there will be a shake-up in portfolios for ministers in the Prime Minister's Department.

Contacted later, Azalina's aide told Malaysiakini that the minister would still be in charge of parliament affairs.

Nancy had held the law portfolio since 2013, while Azalina joined Najib's cabinet in his second reshuffle last year.

Azalina had been a practising lawyer, and in her 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.

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.