Dropped minister Zulkifli apologises for any harsh words, wishes successor well

Despite not being elected to the cabinet of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, senator Zulkifli Mohamad wished success to those selected for the sake of the country's progress and recovery.

"My congratulations to all cabinet members, especially to senator Idris Ahmad as the new minister in the prime minister's department (religious affairs).

He also congratulated Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, who served as Zulkifli's deputy minister and will stay on under Idris.

Both Idris and Ahmad Marzuk are from PAS.

"I apologise to all the ranks of religious agencies at the federal level under the minister in the prime minister's department if I have used any harsh language during our work together.

"My prayer is that this country we love continues to prosper, develop, and rise again in the Covid-19 endemic era," said Zulkifli in a statement today.

Ismail Sabri this morning unveiled his cabinet line-up, which is set to be sworn in next Monday (Aug 30).

Many key positions such as that of finance, home, education, transport, works, and human resources saw the same faces retained from Muhyiddin's line-up.

There is also no deputy prime minister named, with four "senior ministers" similar to Muhyiddin's cabinet.

Zulkifli, along with former plantation industries and commodities minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali and former special functions minister Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, were among the few to be jettisoned by the new prime minister.

Ismail Sabri said the cabinet's main task is to tackle Covid-19 and heal the economy and that each minister must also prove their performance within the first 100 days in office.

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