Najib’s Cabinet reshuffle ‘done with an eye on polls’

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s newly reshuffled Cabinet is an indication that he has his eye on the country’s next general election after overcoming recent challenges to his leadership, said political analysts.

The analysts said the new appointments in Mr Najib’s Cabinet showed that the Prime Minister was rewarding loyalists who stood by him when he was facing intense pressure from his detractors, as well as shoring up support in key battlegrounds ahead of the national poll, which is due by 2018.

Mr Ibrahim Suffian, the head of Malaysia-based independent pollster Merdeka Center, said the biggest clue was the appointment of Mr Noh Omar, the Selangor United Malays National Organisation (Umno) chief, as Housing, Local Government and Urban Wellbeing Minister. “It is clear that Najib is gunning to regain Selangor in the next election,” said Mr Ibrahim.

Mr Najib had set his sights on Selangor following BN’s thumping victory in the June 18 twin by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar. Selangor is currently governed by the opposition, which wrestled Malaysia’s most developed state from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in the 2008 general election, and retained it in the 2013 national polls.

Mr Najib reshuffled his Cabinet on Monday, which saw him make four new ministerial appointments and pick six deputy ministers. It came days after Umno sacked Mr Muhyiddin Yassin and Mr Mukhriz Mahathir.

The duo have been Mr Najib’s critics amid a campaign led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to oust the Prime Minister over irregularities surrounding state investment firm 1MalaysiaDevelopment Berhad as well as the US$680 million (S$922 million) deposited into Mr Najib’s personal accounts. Mr Najib had consistently maintained he had not used the funds for personal gains, and has since been cleared of any criminal offence.

Mr Shafie Apdal, a former minister from Sabah, was also suspended from the party for being part of the rebellion against Mr Najib.

With the three leaders as well as Dr Mahathir no longer in Umno — Dr Mahathir quit Umno in February and recently teamed up with the opposition to campaign in the two by-elections against BN — Mr Najib’s position as Umno president and Prime Minister is deeply secure.

In further clues that the Cabinet revamp was done to quell dissent over the sackings, Jerlun Member of Parliament (MP) Othman Aziz was made Deputy Finance Minister, while Silam MP Datu Nasrun Datu Mansur was appointed as Deputy Plantation, Industries and Commodities Minister.

Mr Mukhriz headed the Umno division in Jerlun prior to his sacking, while the Silam chapter is led by Mr Shafie’s brother, Mr Yusof Apdal.

Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Professor Sivamurugan Pandian said the current lineup was likely to be Mr Najib’s vanguard heading into the next general election, which is likely to be held in the second half of 2017.

“It is a minor reshuffle but a restructuring of the Cabinet. This is the team that the PM would be taking into the next elections,” he said.

Independent political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said the appointment of Mr Mah Siew Keong as the Plantation, Industries and Commodities Minister was Mr Najib’s way of banking on Mr Mah’s party, Gerakan, to help foment the return of Chinese votes to BN, after the community that abandoned the coalition in the 2013 general election, began showing signs of reconsidering its previous hostility.

Mr Mah is the president of Gerakan, a senior partner in BN. “When Mah was given a full ministership, it was Najib trying to help restore Gerakan’s influence. He is trying to shore up the Chinese votes ahead of the GE,” said Mr Khoo. THE MALAY MAIL ONLINE