KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 ― Datuk Seri Najib Razak should give up his Finance Ministry portfolio and delegate it to a new minister who can focus on dealing with the country’s mounting economic challenges full-time, the DAP’s Liew Chin Tong said today amid talks that the prime minister will be reshuffling his Cabinet soon.
Reiterating his past arguments, the Kluang MP criticised the government’s executive arm for falling short on genuine check-and-balance measures by letting the prime minister also control the Finance Ministry.
Liew stressed that a revamp is needed as Malaysia now faces growing economic pressure with inflation and soaring debt levels.
“With mounting economic challenges from inflation to high-indebtedness and the inability of the Malaysian economy to transform from labour-intensive to skill and technology-based, there is a need for a safe pair of hands to steer the economy.
“The jolt to the economy from the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) next year further requires someone who understands the economy at helm. And internal accountability of our cabinet system requires a collegial check-and-balance relationship between the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister,” he said in a statement.
Liew who is also the DAP’s education director added that it would be a great disservice to the nation if Najib continues to hold the portfolio of finance minister concurrently just “for the sake of controlling the financial largesse this portfolio afforded”.
Since Tun Daim Zainuddin completed his second tour as Finance Minister in 2001, the portfolio has been held by successive prime ministers from Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and now Najib.
There was a brief exception between September 2008 and April 2009 when Najib snatched the coveted post from Abdullah.
Liew said he expects Najib to reshuffle his Cabinet somewhere this week before Parliament convenes on June 9 or immediately after the House rises on June 19.
The Kluang MP also urged Najib to replace Datuk Seri Anifah Aman as foreign minister following Malaysia’s poor showing in the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 crisis, noting that the Sabah born Umno leader had been invisible since the plane carrying 238 people on board had disappeared on March 8.
“So many things disappear from Malaysia, including her Foreign Minister..the mishandling of public communication with the world during the height of the MH370 incident highlighted the need for a new foreign minister to speak for the nation, chart a new path, set priorities and formulate clear policies,” Liew said.
To prove his case, the DAP leader noted that diplomatic corps here had complained of Anifah’s “disappearance” to the extent that ambassadors have to engage Minister of International Trade and Industry Mustapa Mohamad as if he is the acting foreign minister.
It was reported that Najib would announce a reshuffle either in April or June to make way for MCA leaders into the Cabinet. Chinese daily Sin Chew reported that two ministerial posts and two deputy minister posts will be given to the senior Barisan Nasional component party.
The rumours of a reshuffle is strengthened by Najib’s promise to make Teluk Intan by-election winner and Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong a Cabinet minister following his victory in the closely-fought race for the parliamentary seat on Saturday.
Liew said while Najib’s current 32-man Cabinet is bloated and must shrink, this is unlikely to happen with MCA and Gerakan’s entry into the lineup.
“Prime Minister Najib should take a leaf off new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's playbook to reduce the size of his cabinet although with the re-entry of MCA and Gerakan into the cabinet it is quite likely that the cabinet will be further bloated,” he said.
