KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — Political analysts are placing their bets on Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian and Parti Warisan Sabah deputy president Darrel Leiking to make it into Putrajaya’s complete Cabinet lineup.

Ahead of an announcement by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad possibly next week, observers said picking the two MPs from East Malaysia would give a fairer representation among ministers in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.

Praba Ganesan, chief executive at KUASA, a democracy outreach organisation, said for Sabah, PKR’s Ranau MP Jonathan Yasin could also be considered instead of Leiking for a ministerial position.

“They will be sending Darrell as the Warisan minister to Cabinet, but he is ex-PKR so he won’t likely be considered. Jonathan is the state deputy chief, so a likely choice,” Praba told Malay Mail. 

Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Faisal Hazis, however, did not share a similar opinion on such a predicament.

But like Praba, Mohd Azizuddin expects either PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, or Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to take up the youth and sports ministerial position.

“Syed Saddiq could be the one. But I think he is too young. Nik Nazmi could get the Youth and Sport portfolio,” Mohd Azizuddin said.

Faisal, meanwhile, bucked the trend, saying that the Youth and Sports portfolio should go to DAP’s Yeo Bee Yin who is serving as Bakri MP.

“Why not let Yeo Bee Yin... a young lady take the role. I know Syed Saddiq and Nik Nazmi are the top two contenders for the role but I think Syed is still a little green. Although we do need more young faces, let’s not forget, we do need more women in federal positions too,” he said.

Syed Saddiq is a first-term MP at 25, while Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi is 36 and was previously Seri Setia assemblyman and Selangor deputy speaker.

Yeo is 35, and was formerly Damansara Utama assemblyman.

“Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto was 30 per cent women participation in leadership roles. If you look at some of the state excos in PH held states now, the 30 per cent representation is not realised,” said Faisal.

Currently, the only female ministers are Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Housing Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, and Rural Development Minister Rina Harun — making the ratio just over 20 per cent.

DAP’s female leaders Yeo, former Selangor speaker Hannah Yeoh, and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok have been speculated as “good ministerial candidates”.

All three were named in the list of potential and capable female ministers endorsed by women’s rights groups, that also included Kasthuri Patto, Maria Chin Abdullah, Fuziah Salleh, Teo Nie Ching, Alice Lau, Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, and Nurul Izzah Anwar who has since declined a post.

It has previously been rumoured that Yeoh could be nominated as the country’s first female Dewan Rakyat speaker, continuing her record as Selangor’s first female state assembly speaker.

Analysts, however, could not predict the exact breakdown between PH component parties to take up the remaining positions of ministers and deputy ministers in the government.

They also pointed that it would be difficult to predict which MP will be assigned to which portfolio, adding that Dr Mahathir could rearrange, rename or even create ministries — as is the case with naming Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to the new Economic Affairs portfolio.

Dr Mahathir is expected to name just over 20 ministers — down from the previous 35 of Barisan Nasional — which means several portfolios could either be merged or abolished.

Another name speculated to take up the role of minister is PH chief secretary Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who had served as deputy education minister while he was with Umno.

Praba and Mohd Azizuddin both predicted that Saifuddin will take up the foreign ministry position.

While Praba expects Parti Amanah Negara will not get any more positions in the Cabinet, Mohd Azizuddin said the party’s vice-president Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa could be appointed minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

“He could be appointed to address religious matters,” he said. Dr Mahathir had yesterday confirmed that his Cabinet will continue to have that post.

Thirteen ministers have been appointed so far and all of them were sworn in on May 21.

https://www.malaymail.com/s/1639228/who-will-complete-the-cabinet-lineup-pundits-predict-baru-saifuddin-hannah