Reduce size of cabinet ministers - Mahfuz

SHAH ALAM - Former human resources deputy minister Datuk Mahfuz Omar said he agrees with the suggestion for the cabinet ministers to take a pay cut by as much as 20 per cent immediately.

However, he said among other suggestions that should be considered was to reduce the size of the lineup of ministers and deputy ministers that were currently reaching 70 people.

He said with the pay cut, it could indirectly be seen that more money from the salary could be used to help the people in need.

"I suggest the current government reduce the cabinet lineup. Imagine how much we have spent for a total of almost 70 ministers and its deputies. We need to reduce them to a lineup of 30 people.

"There are no benefits of having a bigger lineup if they do not contribute anything towards the country and the people," he said when contacted by Sinar Harian on Sunday.

He was commenting on former international trade and industry minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz's suggestion for ministers to take a 20 per cent pay cut with immediate effect.

Rafidah said the government must prioritise the step to show more empathy to the people suffering from the economic crisis post-pandemic and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The government should follow the approach of the cabinet during her time to make it an initiative to cut the salary of the ministers when a crisis hit the country.

"It is better to put the government's money to better use such as giving the allocated funds for such positions to the people instead," he said.