KOTA KINABALU, July 28 — Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said said criticisms and different views among members of the Cabinet should be made via proper channels.

“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said that he is open to criticisms but differing views must be aired via the space provided.

“Differences among members of the Cabinet can’t be made public as it is against the concept of collective responsibility practised in a democratic system,” he said in commenting on today’s Cabinet reshuffle which saw the removal of several members of the Cabinet including Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, at his residence here.

Salleh added that it was within the authority and the prerogative of the Prime Minister to appoint members of the Cabinet.

He said that in politics, it was usual for a party member to hold or not to hold a post, but the room for providing services to the party was still wide open. According to Mohd Salleh, as party members, everyone was responsible for working hard to ensure that the party remained strong, and in power. “If our party is strong, our party will stay in power, and that power we will use as well as possible to carry out our duties as per the people’s expectations from us,” he said. — Bernama