No urgency to reshuffle cabinet, only one vacancy - PM

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today that there was no urgency in carrying out a cabinet reshuffle as there was only one vacancy.

“Perhaps, I’ll think about it later. There is no urgent need because there is only one vacancy,” he told the media when asked if his weekly audience with the king had touched on a possible reshuffle.

According to a report by Bernama, the prime minister indicated that there was nothing out of the ordinary in his meeting with Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

The position of domestic trade and cost of living minister fell vacant with the death of 

Salahuddin Ayub in July and has yet to be filled. 

Two days ago, Anwar said that he would “ponder” over the matter. 

“I’ll think about it, I’ll think about it,” he told reporters when asked if a rumoured change in the cabinet lineup might happen soon. 

Malaysiakini previously reported that Anwar was preparing a major cabinet shake-up, amid speculation that such a reshuffle is imminent.

Anwar, who returned from the US earlier in the week, also said that the government is doing its best to help the people cope with rising prices of essential goods. 

He said that he had asked the acting domestic trade and cost of living minister Armizan Mohd Ali and deputy minister Fuziah Salleh to pay attention to the matter. 

He added that Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was also focused on the issue in the National Action Council on Cost of Living Committee meeting.

“There is indeed a problem, I admit the problem with the (rising) prices of goods and necessities. We also saw that some countries experienced major social unrest due to restrictions on rice exports and the increase in onion export taxes, all of which have an impact on the economy and (prices of) goods.

“However, we will try to resolve it. Whenever the Finance Ministry has to assist, then we will do it,” he told reporters after launching Tabung Haji’s 60th-anniversary celebration at Menara TH today.

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