One can imagine the difficulties of choosing cabinet members to please more people, yet trying to prevent or lessen dissatisfaction among those to be dropped.
Dissatisfaction was obvious from those who declined their appointments immediately, namely, Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar, (appointed Deputy Foreign Minister), and Datuk Anifah Aman, (appointed Deputy Transport Minister).
Heavyweights dropped included Rafidah Aziz, the long-serving Minister of International Trade and Industry (pun intended) and Radzi Sheik Ahmad, the former intends to hold on to her Wanita Chief position while the latter resigned from being Secretary General of Umno.
Generally most people approve of the following appointments:
Shahrir, who will takeover the Consumer and Domestic Affairs portfolio;
Zaid, the new minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, who is given the task of reforming the country’s judiciary; and
Amirsham, the ex-supremo of Maybank who is not a politician, who will head the Economic Planning Unit in the PM's ministry;
despite the last two having to go via senatorial appointments ie. the backdoor. Compare them with similar appointment for Muhammad Muhammad Taib:
His name stands out among those in the new cabinet as the most objected appointee. Obviously, Pak Lah’s hands are tied with his own shaky support within the party that he had to ignore the objections from the public, unless he wasn’t even aware of his history!
He got away from his trial in Australia, claiming he didn’t understand English. But for those who know him, especially his ex-teachers, he was obviously lying. Having caught red-handed with a bag full of cash, when modern banking offered convenient transfers, what sort of impression did he give us?
"Perhaps the only question mark in the new line-up is Rural Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, the Selangor politician who forever will have an asterisk next to his name for trying to take $4 million out of Australia." - The Malaysian Insider.
“The appointment of Umno Information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib as Minister for Rural and Regional Development however signifies a return to the old politics of patronage, completely at variance with Abdullah’s pledge 42 months ago to lead a clean, incorruptible and trustworthy government.”
“It is no exaggeration to say that the appointment of Umno Information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib as Minister for Rural and Regional Development has stained the second Abdullah Cabinet right from the start and raised questions about Abdullah’s commitment and political will to the new politics of accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.” - Lim Kit Siang.
"Interestingly, geo-political representation from Selangor Umno are notorious rejects, namely Noh Omar of the 'nude squat' infamy and the excessive cash-carrying former MB (yes again, RPK's favourite Mohamad)." – Screenshots
"Rural and Regional Development Minister - Senator Muhammad Muhammad Taib (Umno)
(Need I say anything?)" - Marina Mahathir. Her lack of comments was telling indeed.
Seems more like there is indeed a shortage of candidates with integrity!
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