Azalina congratulates new cabinet, reiterates support for Parliament reforms

Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said has congratulated the new cabinet line-up - a group that many had hoped or expected her to be on.

Taking to Facebook after the new cabinet was unveiled, Azalina wished the new ministers the best and hoped their focus would be on the people's interest and restoring a sense of normalcy to their lives.

"I offer the utmost congratulations to all my comrades who have been appointed to form this new government.

"I pray that our country will recover and exit this pandemic, as well as for all the people affected by Covid-19 to be protected and be given special attention," she said.

Later, on Twitter, she also congratulated Bersatu’s Mas Ermieyati Samsudin on her appointment as the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of law.

“Don’t forget to put 'anti-hopping law' as a priority parliamentary reform agenda as deputy minister of law and Parliament,” she said.

Mas Ermieyati, who is the Masjid Tanah MP, had won the 2018 general election on the Umno ticket, but quit Umno several months later and joined Bersatu in 2019.

Azalina played a key role in bringing down the previous Muhyiddin Yassin government.

When she resigned as Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker, many expected her to be appointed to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's cabinet.

Opposition lawmaker Hannah Yeoh had mooted that the Pengerang MP be made either the home minister, law minister, or women, family, and community development minister.

Meanwhile, Azalina also commented on the joint statement by Ismail Sabri and Pakatan Harapan leaders on Wednesday - which promised to strengthen Parliament.

Azalina welcomed the commitment and expressed her willingness to contribute and support any reform initiatives that the prime minister wants to implement via collective wisdom.

Azalina previously proposed for the deputy speaker position she left vacant to be filled by an opposition candidate.

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