KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has unveiled a 14-member Cabinet, following an audience with the king on Friday (May 18).

The announcement came as he made a surprise U-turn to relinquish the post of the education minister. Dr Mahathir on Thursday said he had taken up the education portfolio with an eye to revamping what he called an "outdated" system.

His decision, however, drew criticisms from those who pointed out that the election manifesto of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, which came to power after last Wednesday's watershed election, states that “any individual with the prime minister position cannot hold other ministerial positions, especially the Finance Minister position”.

Dr Mahathir said on Friday that he was letting go of the education portfolio to honour the manifesto, adding: "That is the position of the manifesto and I cannot break it at the moment although there is a demand that I should take education.”

Dr Maszlee Malik, an academic and first-term member of parliament from the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), was named instead to be Malaysia's new education minister.

“I was not told by anyone. It is a big responsibility, we are rebuilding the nation but the highest priority is to ensure the promises PH made in its manifesto can be accomplished... five years is not a long period,” Dr Maszlee told Malay Mail.

Other new names in Friday's Cabinet list include rising star Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, the Selangor Chief Minister and Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president, who has been picked to be the economic affairs minister. Another first-term PPBM MP, Ms Rina Harun, was named rural development minister.

A statement from Mr Azmin's office said he will seek an audience with Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for a decision "to ascertain whether he remains to spearhead Selangor or help Putrajaya" as a federal minister. He will also meet with Dr Mahathir as soon as possible.

From PKR, Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin was named minister of housing and local government.

Ministers from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) who made the cut were Mr Anthony Loke Siew Fook (transport), Mr Gobind Singh Deo (communications and multimedia), and Mr M. Kulasegaran (human resources).

Rounding up the list were Parti Amanah Negara members: Mr Salahuddin Ayub (agriculture and agro-based industry) and Mr Dzulkefly Ahmad (health).

Dr Mahathir has yet to name a new foreign minister. He has suggested that his full Cabinet will have around 25 members.

He had earlier announced several Cabinet picks, including those for the defence, home affairs and finance portfolios. His deputy, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will helm the Women Affairs and Welfare portfolio.

Last week, he appointed DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as finance minister, PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin as home affairs minister and Amanah's chief Mohammad Sabu as defence minister.

The new Cabinet is expected to be sworn in on Monday. 

Mr Asrul Hadi Abdullah, an analyst with political risk consultancy BowerGroupAsia told TODAY that it was expected that the new government will have an inexperienced Cabinet, given that this is the first time PH is governing the nation.

"It will be interesting to see if Lim Guan Eng and Azmin Ali are able to replicate their performance as Chief Minister on a federal level. I am also happy to see first time MPs like Dr Maszlee and Rina given a chance to lead a ministry," he said.

Here's the latest line-up of Dr Mahathir's Cabinet, as announced on Friday:

Prime Minister – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad

Deputy Prime Minister – Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah

Minister of Home Affairs – Tan Sri Muhiyiddin Yassin

Minister of Education – Dr Maszlee Malik

Minister of Rural Development – Rina Harun

Minister of Women and Family Development – Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah

Minister of Economic Affairs – Dato' Seri Mohamad Azmin Ali

Minister of Housing and Local Government – Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin

Minister of Finance – Lim Guan Eng

Minister of Transport – Anthony Loke Siew Fook

Minister of Communications and Multimedia – Gobind Singh Deo

Minister of Human Resources – Kulasegaran s/o V. Murugeson

Minister of Defence – Mohamad Sabu

Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry – Salahuddin Ayub

Minister of Health – Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad AGENCIES