Caretaker prime minister and candidate for the Bera parliamentary seat Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has assured Malaysians that the size of the Cabinet will be reduced if he becomes Prime Minister, reported The Sun Daily.
Cabinet to be reduced
Speaking to the reporters after Santai Anak Muda Kuala Selangor event in Puncak Alam yesterday, Sabri admitted that the size of the current Cabinet was too huge.
It is indeed too big and I will definitely reduce the number of Cabinet members.
He added that he plans to reduce the Cabinet size by combining several ministries together.
However, he said that in order for this to happen, BN first has to wrest control of the federal government in GE15.
“So we have to win first, if we don’t win I won’t even become Prime Minister. BN must win first.. after BN wins, Insya-Allah, I will take into account all interests.”
Sabri’s Cabinet currently has 31 ministers and 38 deputy ministers, including four who were appointed senior ministers.
Technocrats to be added in
In the television broadcast “Bual Bicara Khas Bersama Perdana Menteri – Kestabilan dan Kemakmuran” last night, Sabri also promised to make sure that the Cabinet comprised of not only politicians but technocrats as well.
“I will make expertise and skill sets as the guide to forming the cabinet. It would comprise not only politicians but also technocrats,” he said as quoted by Malaysiakini.
Meanwhile, Sabri said that if he was given the mandate to lead the country again, he would do all he can to empower government agencies and departments in combatting rampant bureaucracy.
He also added that it was time for Malaysia to be at the forefront of the international stage after two years of taking the backseat due to the pandemic.
“We must return to our past glory in terms of our role in foreign policies. We need to be seen as more involved and that our presence in championing major issues is noticed by the world,” he said.
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