Noh Omar, a veteran leader of the ruling United Malay National Organisation (UMNO), was appointed minister for urban wellbeing, housing and local government.
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The possible fallout was also pointed out by Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, initially tipped to replace Uggah, who said Sarawakians were likely to be upset by the omission.
Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng saw Mr Mah’s appointment as full minister as Mr Najib’s attempt to bring back the previous ministerial allocation to component parties under the BN’s so-called power sharing concept.
Asked if he was aware of Husni’s plan to retire, Najib said Husni had informed him of his desire to retire and it should be respected.
Johari Abdul Ghani becomes second finance minister, Noh Omar was apppointed urban wellbeing minister and Mah Siew Keong was made plantation industries and commodities minister.
The prime minister has been under fire for being involved in a festering corruption scandal.
Several changes are on the cards, which could see the appointment of as many as four ministers and four deputy ministers.
One was left vacant by the death of the late Tan Sri Noriah Kasnon, who was the Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister.
The scandal came to light in early July a year ago when the Wall Street Journal revealed that some $700 million had been transferred to Najib’s private accounts before the 2013 general election.
“This is to ensure smooth continuation of the government’s development agenda for the people – economic development, welfare and security – as promised”, he said.
Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry (MITI) Lee Chee Leong is now Deputy Minister for Finance, along with Mr Othman Aziz.
“He’s quite ready to retire”.
The reshuffle saw the appointment of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who was dropped from the cabinet. Former Deputy Finance Minister Chua Tee Yong is now Deputy Minister at MITI.
“I think Najib is strengthening his power base by putting loyalists in key positions to focus on economic growth”, he said.
He added that Najib was banking on Mah and Gerakan to help foment the return of the Chinese vote to BN, after the community that abandoned the coalition in Election 2013 began showing signs of reconsidering its previous hostility.
Meanwhile MCA’s Chua Tee Yong the former deputy minister of finance now replaces Lee at the worldwide trade and industry ministry while MIC’s deputy president K. Devamany has been appointed deputy minister in the prime minister’s department.
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As to why there were no women candidates to fill the posts in the current cabinet reshuffling exercise, Najib said: “We can always include (them) at some point of time”.
