Cabinet expected to be announced tomorrow evening

PUTRAJAYA - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to announce the list of cabinet ministers tomorrow (Dec 2) evening.

However, the swearing-in ceremony will not be held immediately and will be made on a date to be determined later.

It is understood the cabinet list will be announced but the exact number was uncertain.

"An announcement will be made in evening as the Prime Minister has a ceremony to attend in Tambun in the morning, so it will likely be announced in the evening but the actual size or number (of the cabinet) is uncertain," a source told Sinar Harian.

Previously, speculations about the unity government's cabinet line-up circulated, leaving Malaysians wondering what the cabinet would look like.

It is understood that Anwar is scheduled to have an audience with the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah at Istana Kinta at 10am, tomorrow.

Afterwards, he will attend a walkabout and meet his constituents at the Tanjung Rambutan market.

For the record, former prime ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin needed eight days before announcing their respective cabinet line-up.

Meanwhile, there were also rumours about who would be named as cabinet ministers in the unity government.

According to the list that was circulated, among the names to hold ministerial positions in the new government were Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani (BN); Rafizi Ramli (PH) and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (GPS).

The others were Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH); Mohamad Sabu (PH); Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PH), M Kulasegaran (PH) and Nik Omar Nik Abdul Aziz (PH).

According to the source, Rafizi, who is also Pandan MP was said to be appointed as Finance Minister, while Johari will hold the post of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy).

Mohamad, who is also Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president was expected to be given the post of Rural Development Minister, while Fadillah is expected to remain as Works Minister.

Another leader who was rumoured to be returning to the portfolio that was held during the PH government was Dzulkefly as Health Minister and Kulasegaran as the Human Resources Minister.

However, it remained a mystery on who will be appointed to the post of Deputy Prime Minister.

The unity government will comprise three main coalitions, namely PH, Barisan Nasional (BN) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).