NEW Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob must ensure his cabinet is smaller than the previous one, Pejuang chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

Utusan Malaysia reported the 96-year-old former prime minister saying in Langkawi that the new cabinet must also comprise of capable individuals.

“I hope it’s not that big (the number of ministers in the cabinet). Every minister should have abilities.”

“We found that Muhyiddin’s ministers (before this), did not do their work, but received salary. Don’t be like that,” the Langkawi MP was quoted as saying today.

Dr Mahathir was referring to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who formed a 70-member cabinet covering 32 portfolios.

The bloated cabinet was seen by critics as a way to reward political allies after Muhyiddin led a revolt by Dr Mahathir’s then party, Bersatu, and nearly a dozen PKR MPs to leave Pakatan Harapan and form a new government with other parties, including Umno and PAS.

Dr Mahathir said Muhyiddin’s cabinet had been excessive and did not perform well.

He said Ismail should also avoid appointing MPs with court cases to be in his cabinet, making a reference to Umno’s “court cluster”.

Asked about the post of deputy prime minister, the former Pakatan Harapan chairman said no one among the MPs in the government bloc are suited for the post.

Leaders from Bersatu, he said, are not qualified because most of them were party-hoppers.

“I only know who should not be the deputy, namely the court cluster gang… they should be isolated and, of course, they should not be the deputy prime minister,” he said.

Ismail yesterday told media in Yan, Kedah, that his cabinet line-up would be finalised this week.

On a vote of confidence by MPs in Parliament on Ismail, Dr Mahathir said he did not think it was appropriate at the moment.

“If it goes to a vote and he can’t get a majority, he has to be replaced. Then the world will laugh at us (for changing prime ministers again,” he said. – August 24, 2021.