theSun | THURSDAY APRIL 9 2009
news without borders
New cabinet: Khairy
out, Mukhriz in?
UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamalud-
din is not expected to be on the
new cabinet line-up. Instead, Datuk
Mukhriz Mahathir, who lost to
Khairy in the Umno Youth election, is
likely to be given the Youth and Sport
portfolio, Sin Chew Daily reported
yesterday.
The report said Umno Youth
vice-chief Datuk Razali Ibrahim, too,
would probably be made a minister.
At least four ministries will be
merged as Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak downsizes
his cabinet. The most likely mergers
are between Education and Higher
Education Ministries and between
Domestic Trade and Consumer
Affairs Ministry and International
Trade and Industry Ministry.
Sources said Najib will continue to
helm the Finance Ministry and Umno
deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin
Yassin, who is expected to be named
deputy prime minister, will take
charge of the Home Ministry.
Umno sources said Najib is taking
bold steps in introducing new blood
into his cabinet as his list is said to
contain a number of people who
have no previous experience either
as deputy ministers or parliamentary
secretaries.
The new faces are said to include
the Umno supreme council member
who was elected with the fourth
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
highest number of votes, Datuk Azian
Osman, who is tipped to be made
minister in the Prime Minister’s De-
partment; Razali, who is likely to re-
place Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib
as rural and regional development
minister; and Pontian MP Ahmad
Mazlan, who is likely to be appointed
information minister, replacing Datuk
Ahmad Shabbery Cheek.
The second finance minister’s post
is expected to go to Najib’s close ally
Datuk Jamaluddin Jarjis. Jamalud-
din held the post in 2002 and was
science, technology and innovation
minister before he was dropped in
the 2003 cabinet reshuffle.
There are no clear indications re-
garding Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. A source said she
will not be in the cabinet while another
said she will probably be made a minis-
ter in the Prime Minister’s Department
or women, family and community
development minister.
Former deputy defence minister
Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin has a good
chance of being appointed defence
minister but there is also speculation
that the post will go to Unity, Culture,
Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri
Mohd Shafie Apdal. Shafie was also a
former deputy finance minister.
There is speculation that Shafie
will move to the Foreign Ministry,
beating early favourite Minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department Datuk
Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz to the job.
Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi,
the Umno vice-president elected
with the highest number of votes,
is tipped to take charge of the Trade
and Industry Ministry, the merger of
two ministries.
Another Umno vice-president
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein,
who has indicated his desire to stay
in the Education Ministry, will likely
be granted his wish.
Sources said there could be an
Education Minister II post which
is likely to go to the current deputy
minister, Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong,
who is MCA Youth chief. However,
there is also speculation that Ahmad
Zahid will be appointed education
minister whereas Hishammuddin
will move to Trade and Industry.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk
Ismail Sabri Yaakob, meanwhile, is
tipped to be appointed tourism min-
ister, replacing Datuk Seri Azalina
Othman, who is likely to be dropped.
Entrepreneur and Cooperative
Development Minister Datuk Mohd
Nor Omar is expected to stay put.
Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr
Koh Tsu Koon is likely to be given
a post but there are no indications
whether he would be made energy,
water and communications minister
as speculated.
Apart from Jamaluddin, another
former minister, Tengku Adnan
Mansor, is also tipped to make a
comeback. He is likely to be named
federal territories minister, a post he
once held.
China to execute Pemadam
man for drug trafficking
KUALA LUMPUR: A
Pemadam (Malaysian drug
prevention society) life
member who was nabbed
in Xiamen, China, with
1.5kg of heroin in 2007 will
be executed by firing squad
there.
The Chinese gov-
ernment has officially
requested Malaysia’s help
to locate the next-of-kin of
Ong Kim Fatt, 44, whose
last known address is 36-
C, Lorong Haji Taib in the
federal capital.
Chong with According to records,
a photo of Ong is also a Rela (civil
Ong during defence) member.
his press Ong’s last wish is to
conference meet his brothers and sis-
to locate ters – Ong Kam Yoke, 45,
relatives Ong Hock Kiang, 41, Ong
Hock Kooi, 38, and Ong
Siew Chin, 35.
MCA Public Service
and Complaints
7
Bureau head Datuk Michael
Chong told reporters yester-
day that Wisma Putra had
sought his help to locate
Ong’s siblings.
“Wisma Putra got In-
terpol Malaysia to send an
officer to look for the fam-
ily at his last address, but
they were not there,” said
Chong.
He said efforts to contact
two of Ong’s friends have
been in vain.
He said the Chinese au-
thorities in Malaysia were
willing to assist the family
should they come forward.
“Yesterday, I met up with
officials from the Chinese
Embassy, and they are pre-
pared to assist the family on
humanitarian grounds and
will help with their visas,”
said Chong. Anyone with
information about Ong’s
family can contact him at
03-2161 5678.
He said the execution
would be carried out
regardless of whether the
family is found.
Chong said the Chinese
authorities had postponed
his execution pending the
search for Ong’s family.
He also said that since
2004, his bureau has han-
dled 23 cases involving
people seeking MCA’s help
on drug-trafficking related
matters.