After the 13th general election (GE13) concluded on May 5, speculation has been rife on who would make it to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Cabinet.
The election saw BN retaining power with a simple majority over the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat.
With several big names having pulled out from running in GE13, namely Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil and Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen, other names touted to be Cabinet favorites including Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman had faced defeat in their respective constituencies of Temerloh and Gelang Patah.
This has made the anticipation for the new Cabinet even more intense.
Two other former Cabinet members, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin have been sworn in as Menteri Besar in Kedah and Johor, respectively, leaving Najib with even fewer experienced ministers.
Another big blow to BN came in the form of MCA facing a huge loss of support when it only won seven parliamentary seats. This had led its president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to announce that no MCA members would be taking up any government posts as a result of having fared badly in the election.
While Najib may be faced with a lack of old-timers this time around, it may be the best thing to happen to BN, especially since the public is hungry for change.
The new Cabinet line-up may see a slew of fresh faces, eager to bring new ideas that may help BN regain the popular votes it lost during GE13.
A particular favorite would be Rembau MP, Khairy Jamaluddin.
Although he won the Rembau parliamentary seat in Election 2008, Khairy was still not given a Cabinet portfolio then.
He is touted as a possible favorite to head a ministry this time around, particularly with his ability to reach out to the youths as well as making grounds with Opposition supporters.
In his statement last Friday, Khairy had offered to be included in Najib’s new Cabinet, saying that the line-up has to be strong and ready to carry out a transformation.
Another potential Cabinet minister is Datuk Azalina Othman who made a comeback by winning the Pengerang parliamentary seat.
Meanwhile, with MCA’s fate hanging in the balance, solid attention must be given to MIC and parliamentarians from Sabah and Sarawak.
It is apparent that BN’s support from East Malaysia is still strong and this would be as good a time as any for Najib to give them a stronger and more prominent voice through his Cabinet line-up, which will be announced at 4pm today.
Perhaps Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahalan and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin may find themselves with a Cabinet portfolio each, acting as both a stronger representation of East Malaysia, and vocal ministers, as both are known for speaking their minds.
With Umno having secured 88 parliamentary seats, it is clear that party members are expecting a bigger piece of the pie, however with the current public vocally rejecting race-based politics, Najib might need to reflect his National Reconciliation Policy by setting aside race and appointing ministers based on how they are able to reach out to a sensitive public at a sensitive time.
There is a lot of transformation that needs to be done in order for BN to stay relevant past this mandate.
Najib has to think of BN’s staying power beyond the next five years, and this particular Cabinet line-up is seen as the most challenging ever, as it will either make or break BN.
Although BN managed to sustain a win in the May 5 election, the simple majority and loss of popular votes to the Opposition meant that Najib has to reconsider many aspects of how BN has functioned thus far.
Many policies must be revamped to meet new demands and expectations. Therefore a Cabinet made up of mostly fresh faces is seen as a means to recovering BN’s credibility in the eyes of the public.
However, it should be remembered that BN has now realized the urgency for it to keep its promises of transformation. As rakyat, it is only fair that we give Najib and his new Cabinet a chance.
Whatever our differences, be it political or religious beliefs, Najib has promised to be a Prime Minister for all, and it is most likely that promise will reflect in those he has chosen to be by his side to lead the nation.
Change does not necessarily have to come from a replacing the old with new, as it can also come from revamping the old.
The result may surprise even the most skeptic of skeptics.
Source - mD
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