List of deputy ministers to be finalised soon - Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Appointments to the posts of deputy ministers will be finalised soon, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The prime minister said this in a Facebook post today.

Anwar also said the weekly Cabinet meeting this morning was productive and was conducted in a harmonious manner.

"I stressed that issues affecting the people especially the cost of living problem should be given attention and resolved as soon as possible," he said.

On Dec 3, two deputy prime ministers and 25 ministers of the Unity Government were sworn in before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at Istana Negara here.

The two deputy prime ministers are Bagan Datuk MP Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, and Petra Jaya MP Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister.

In another post, Anwar said he was receptive to good suggestions on helping poor farmers throughout the country and that the government's focus now was on using its power to safeguard the interests of the people especially poor farmers.

"Other parties who may want to dispute the government's efforts in helping poor farmers are welcome to offer alternatives. I am open to accepting better suggestions," Anwar said.

At a news conference last Monday, Anwar said the new government would study the issue of monopoly of rice imports involving Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary and the profits made by the tycoon, who bought over the Bernas holdings of Tan Sri Tan Boon Seng for RM800 million and Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim's (RM400 million).

Anwar also said the government's effort to tackle the issue of rice import monopoly involving Syed Mokhtar should not be politicised because the initiative was aimed at helping poor farmers.

-- BERNAMA