The reshuffle also saw the appointment of two members of Parliament and four senators as deputy ministers.
The prime minister, in a statement, announced the appointment of Chor as Housing and Local Government Minister, replacing Kong Cho Ha who switched portfolio to the Transport Ministry.
Kong, who is also MCA secretary-general, takes over from Ong who lost to Dr Chua Soi Lek in the MCA elections in March. Also dropped was Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Wee Jeck Seng.
Ong and Wee were the only two dropped from the new "expanded" cabinet.
There were also two vacancies available from the resignation of Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister and former Wanita MCA chief Chew Mei Fun and the death of Deputy Transport Minister Robert Lau last month.
Three from MCA, additional post for MIC
Today's reshuffle sees the appoinment of six new faces, four of whom are senators. The cabinet changes will be effective from June 4.
Of the six new faces, three are from MCA – party president Chua's son and Labis MP Chua Tee Yong, and party vice-presidents Senator Donald Lim and Gan Ping Sieu, to reflect the changes in the party leadership following its polls in March.
MIC also has an additional face in the government, on top of a minister and two deputy ministers, with the appointment of party deputy president G Palanivel as a deputy minister.
PPP vice-president Senator Maglin Dennis D’Cruz has also been roped into the cabinet as a deputy minister, along with Serian MP Richard Riot Jaem.
The reshuffle also saw four deputy ministers switching portfolios.
They are Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Minister Rohani Abdul Karim who takes over as Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister; Deputy Home Minister Jelaing Mersat (Deputy Transport Minister); Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Chee Leong (Deputy Home Minister) and Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie (Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister).
Najib said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Zainal Abidin had given his consent to the appointments and the swearing-in would be held at Istana negara at 3.30pm on Friday.
Tuanku Mizan had also consented to the appointment of Lim, D'Cruz and Gan as senators effective today. They will be sworn in as soon as possible.
List of new ministers and deputies
Kong Cho Ha: Transport Minister (previous post: Housing and Local Government Minister)
Chor Chee Heung: Housing and Local Government Minister (previous post: Deputy Finance Minister)
Rohani Abdul Karim: Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister (previous post: Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister)
Jelaing Mersat: Deputy Transport Minister (previous post: Deputy Home Minister)
Lee Chee Leong: Deputy Home Minister (previous post: Deputy Foreign Minister)
Senator Heng Seai Kie: Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister (previous post: Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister)
Senator G Palanivel: Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister
Richard Riot Jaem (Serian MP): Deputy Foreign Minister
Chua Tee Yong (Labis MP): Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister
Senator Donald Lim Siang Chai: Deputy Finance Minister
Senator Maglin Dennis D'Cruz: Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister
Senator Gan Ping Sieu: Deputy Youth and Sports Minister.
No comments:
Post a Comment