A Cabinet reshuffle soon?

A Cabinet reshuffle could happen sometime soon, according to local Malay daily Utusan Malaysia in its report today.

It said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was granted an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah to present the list of Cabinet reshuffle.

Talk about a reshuffle began several months back but kicked into overdrive yesterday following Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's speech at the Cheras UMNO division meeting on Sunday night.

At the event, Muhyiddin reiterated his stand on the urgent need to get to the bottom of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy. He voiced concern that failure to do so would affect voter support for Barisan Nasional.

It was previously speculated that Muhyiddin, who is also UMNO deputy chairman, would be dropped and replaced by Home Minister and UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Utusan report today however said Muhyiddin will likely remain as DPM without holding any other ministerial portfolios.

Several ministers have also been predicted to be dropped or transferred between ministries, while some deputy ministers could be promoted to full ministers.

The Utusan report said Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan might be the next Communication and Multimedia Minister.

Abdul Rahman was recently appointed as the strategic communications director for Barisan Nasional (BN).

Meanwhile, the portal myKMU.net predicted that Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin would be given the Human Resources Ministry portfolio, or become a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Other changes speculated to happen include Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek to return to head the Youth and Sports Ministry.

Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Ahmad Maslan could be appointed Rural and Regional Development Minister, replacing Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal who might be dropped.

Several parliamentarians, among them Kuala Selangor MP Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim and Puteri UMNO chief, Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, may be appointed deputy ministers.

As for Datuk Hasan Malek, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, it is speculated that they could be dropped from Cabinet.

The dismissal of Palanivel, who is currently holding the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, was said to be due to the MIC crisis.