PUTRAJAYA, July 5 — PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail rejected claims that the Cabinet lineup favoured Malay-dominated parties to assuage concern among the majority community.

“No, trust me, that’s not the reason,” Saifuddin told Malay Mail in an interview at his office here yesterday. 

Saifuddin said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad told Pakatan Harapan (PH) that he had to take “so many things” into consideration when appointing federal ministers and deputy ministers, such as gender, party affiliation, youth, state, and Sabah and Sarawak representatives.

“And the way he explained to us is that overall, the reactions from the public on the appointment of the new lineup, overall it's okay. 

“He asked for us to understand. Now, time to move on and fulfill the promises that we made,” said Saifuddin, who was appointed Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister last Monday.

Fitch Group research unit BMI Research said Tuesday that the Cabinet lineup was “lopsided” and over-represented Malay-Muslim parties — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) — at the expense of PKR and DAP. The multiracial PKR and secular DAP are the biggest PH parties in Parliament with 50 and 42 seats respectively.

BMI Research said it acknowledged that the Cabinet lineup may allay fears among Malays about the Chinese supposedly taking over the country, and so PH parties might have agreed that giving predominantly Malay parties more portfolios was necessary for their political survival.

The Fitch Group research outfit said although PKR and DAP have the most ministerial and deputy ministerial positions totalling 15 and 12 respectively, a Cabinet line-up strictly proportionate with parties’ parliamentary seat count should see PKR holding 19 positions, DAP (17 positions), PPBM (five positions), Amanah (five positions), and Warisan (three positions), with two positions to spare. PPBM, Amanah and Warisan instead have 10, nine and five Cabinet posts respectively.

According to Saifuddin, Dr Mahathir told PH that, during his first stint as prime minister when he was then Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, it was easy for him to appoint Cabinet members.

“He just needed to do minor changes,” said Saifuddin. “But now, it's different .... Now he has to start all over again.”

When asked if the Cabinet seats should have been proportionate with parties’ seat count in Parliament, the PKR secretary-general said now was the time for PH to focus on doing their work, to fulfill their pledges, and to support the prime minister.

DAP Socialist Youth has openly criticised the Cabinet line-up, saying that it was not proportionate to the number of seats that PH parties won in the May 9 general election.

“I think Keadilan will not go that way,” Saifuddin said in response to DAP Socialist Youth’s actions.

Saifuddin also said Dr Mahathir has advised Cabinet members to fulfill PH’s election promises.

“The minister is answerable on policy, guided by the Pakatan Harapan manifesto. Your task is to come up with policy papers to be discussed in the Cabinet,” said Saifuddin.

Dr Mahathir was also purportedly intolerant of corruption, according to Saifuddin.

“He said no compromise. Once you commit [corruption], out you go. He was very firm. He said the expectation of the people is very high. He said you don't have any other choice except to fulfill promises,” said the Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP.

The 92-year-old prime minister, who is in his second stint in office after previously governing the country for 22 years, demanded “100 per cent loyalty” to ensure that bureaucrats fully supported PH’s reform agenda, according to Saifuddin.

“No point come out with beautiful policy but don't get support,” said the newly-minted minister.

He clarified that this expected “loyalty” to the prime minister, Cabinet, and government was only insofar as to support lawful decisions, not corrupt acts.

“When you run a ministry, you’re taking over from a government that was in power for 61 years. It's not going to be easy. So the importance of demanding loyalty is in the context.”

Saifuddin also spoke highly of Dr Mahathir’s leadership skills, saying that despite not having any leadership experience in government, he was not made to feel less capable.

“You don’t feel that you’re a novice or you are the new boy on the block. You feel like, wow, you want to be part of it.”

https://www.malaymail.com/s/1648971/pkr-sec-gen-denies-cabinet-list-racially-motivated