PM Muhyiddin: Azmin Will Chair Cabinet Meetings In My Absence
He doesn't have a Deputy Prime Minister. Instead, there are four senior ministers.
By Sadho Ram — 11 Mar 2020, 05:49 PM
Earlier today, 11 March, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that, in his absence, Mohamed Azmin Ali would chair Cabinet meetings
Muhyiddin announced this in a press conference after he chaired the maiden Cabinet meeting of the new Perikatan Nasional (PN) government at Perdana Putra in Putrajaya today.
According to The Malaysian Insight, the newly-appointed Prime Minister was asked at the press conference as to which among the four is "more senior" in his Cabinet than the others.
To which, he replied that while all four senior ministers are equal, Azmin will deputise for him when he is away. There is no deputy prime minister in the new PN government.
"They are all equals, except that I have told the Cabinet that in my absence, Azmin will chair the Cabinet and do what is necessary," Muhyiddin said during the press conference today.
However, he added that others can stand in when Azmin is not around
"If Azmin is also not around the minister on my right will take over … so I have a lot of support," Muhyiddin said, referring to Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the senior minister who is responsible for defence.
"I have a lot of support and I think this will be a functional cabinet to deliver to all Malaysians," the Prime Minister added, as reported by Malay Mail.
PM Muhyiddin during the press conference at the Prime Minister Office's in Putrajaya, 11 March.
Image via Yusof Mat Isa/Malay MailMuhyiddin has appointed four senior ministers under him
Besides Azmin Ali and Ismail Sabri, the other two are Fadillah Yusof and Mohd Radzi Md Jidin.
Apart from being senior ministers in the Cabinet, all four of them hold separate portfolios.
Azmin holds the International Trade and Industry Minister portfolio, Ismail Sabri is the Defence Minister, Fadillah is the Works Minister, and Mohd Radzi is the Education Minister.
