Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a 28-member Cabinet with 25 ministries that saw eight ministers dropped and seven new faces appointed.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who won the Umno deputy presidency in last month’s party elections, was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister.

Najib, who took his oath of office as the new prime minister on April 3, also retained the finance portfolio which he has held since Sept 19 last year following the portfolio swap between him and former premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at that time.

Najib’s Cabinet is slightly smaller than his predecessor’s 32 ministers and 27 ministries.

The new cabinet line-up;
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Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: cabinet, minister, najib tun razak, prime minister

Najib Razak was sworn in as Malaysia’s sixth prime minister Friday, assuming charge of reuniting the fractured ruling party and steering the nation through the global economic downturn.

He took the oath of office in front of the Malaysian king at a ceremony at the palace broadcast live on national television.

The planned transfer of power follows the resignation Thursday of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who analysts say failed to live up to his promises during six unremarkable years in office.

“I, Najib Razak, who has been chosen to hold the post of prime minister, swear that I will carry out the responsibilities which I have been entrusted with to the best of my ability” the 55-year-old said.

“I will be true to Malaysia and will defend and uphold the constitution.”
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Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: malaysia, najib, najib tun razak, prime minister, sworn

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang wondered aloud yesterday as to how both the Prime Minister and his deputy could be out of the country this week.

“Why is the 30-year standing rule or of longer vintage that both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister should not be out of the country at the same time being broken this week?” he said at a press conference in Parliament yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 9% [?]

Technorati Tags: abdullah ahmad badawi, away, deputy prime minister, najib tun razak, prime minister

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi will not defend the Umno presidency.

He told leaders of the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties here today that he will quit as party president by March next year.

This will pave the way for Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is favoured to win the party presidency, to take over as Prime Minister if BN remains in power then.

“I will not stand for the presidency of Umno in the coming elections. My current term as Umno president ends in March next year,” he told reporters after the meeting.
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Popularity: 6% [?]

Technorati Tags: abdullah ahmad badawi, najib tun razak, pak lah, pm, prime minister, quit

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi says he will not reconvene Parliament next Tuesday, as demanded by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“I do not see any reason to call an emergency sitting as we are sitting after Ramadan,” he said after today’s Umno supreme council meeting here.

Earlier today, Anwar had demanded the PM reconvene Parliament next week to vote on a no-confidence motion against Abdullah’s administration.

The demand comes just days after Anwar missed a self-imposed deadline on September 16 for his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance to topple the Barisan Nasional (BN) government through mass defections
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Popularity: 4% [?]

Technorati Tags: abdullah ahmad badawi, emergency session, parliament, prime minister

Today Malaysians celebrate Malaysia day – the day our country became whole and our people become united. This day has a new meaning. After years of struggle, after fighting against a system that is corrupt and unjust—we affirm that victory is finally at hand. Our vision of rebuilding this country and bringing its people together, as the founding fathers envisioned, is within reach.

The economy is in turmoil with runaway inflation and joblessness creating widespread discontent. Racial tensions have been rising, exacerbated by the propaganda spread in the government owned mainstream media. The administration has offered no vision to steer the nation out of this quagmire and there is manifest erosion in confidence in the current government.

We in Pakatan Rakyat believe we can save Malaysia from economic ruin and the dangerous politics of racism. We will do so prudently, legally and in doing so we will not jeopardize the security and stability of the country and the safety of its people.
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Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: anwar ibrahim, defect, government, malaysia day, minister, prime minister

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and veteran party man Tan Sri Sanusi Junid announced Monday that they are quitting Umno.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced this on Monday at 12.35pm, citing a lack of confidence in the current leadership.

“I am quitting Umno today,” he told about 1,000 people, mostly Kedah Umno members, at a talk here on Monday.

“I will write a letter to Umno headquarters to inform that I have quit the party,” he said.

He has been critical of his appointed successor Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, blaming the current Umno president for the party’s disappointing performance in the 12th general election. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: abdullah, dr mahathir, mahathir, party, prime minister, quit, sanusi, tun mahathir, umno