PM mulls over new Cabinet equation after shock losses

KUALA LUMPUR, Wed: 

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to form his new Cabinet line-up any time now but the question is the equation concerning the Barisan Nasional component parties in the line-up.

In the general election last Saturday, the BN was given the mandate to form the government with a simple majority after winning 140 of the 222 Parliamentary seats at stake. However, the component parties representing the Chinese and Indian communities, namely the MCA, Gerakan and MIC took a beating, and Umno itself suffered a shock when several of its Cabinet ministers were unexpectedly defeated.

Taking responsibility for the poor performance of the MCA, its president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting today said that he would not nominate himself for a Cabinet post as he wanted to rebuild the party. In the 2004 general election, the MCA won 31 of the 40 parliamentary seats it contested and had a quota of four ministers, eight deputy ministers and two parliamentary secretaries before Parliament was dissolved on Feb 13. This time around, the MCA only won 15 of the 40 seats contested.

The Gerakan, meanwhile, won only two parliamentary seats out of the 12 it contested and announced that it would not ask for any ministerial post. Previously, the Gerakan had one minister, three deputy ministers and two parliamentary secretaries. The party also lost power in Penang.

The MIC was also soundly beaten, winning only three parliamentary seats while its president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and his deputy, Datuk G. Palanivel lost. The Indian-based party previously had one minister, three deputy ministers and three parliamentary secretaries.
Another vacancy was created when Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk M. Kayveas, who is also the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president, lost in Taiping.

Meanwhile, the component parties from Sabah and Sarawak played a significant role in the BN victory. When asked after chairing the Umno supreme council and the BN supreme council meetings yesterday, Abdullah said there was no problem in appointing the representatives of the component parties into the Cabinet as all of them had representation in Parliament. He said this was because the BN represented all communities including those without representatives in Parliament.

The World Just Movement (JUST) president, Dr Chandra Muzaffar was of the opinion that the BN should give fair recognition to the component parties from Sabah and Sarawak for their contribution to the BN victory. He said the appointment of more representatives from Sabah and Sarawak into the Cabinet would be good for national integration.

In Sarawak, the Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) won 14 seats, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) (six), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) (six), Pertubuhan Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Bersatu (PASOK) (four), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) (four). In Sabah, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) won three seats, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) (two), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won one each.

In the Cabinet formed after the 2004 general election, Abdullah gave Umno 21 ministerial posts, 18 deputy minister’s posts and 11 parliamentary secretaries apart from the posts given to the MIC, MCA and Gerakan. The PBB had a quota of two ministers, one deputy minister and one parliamentary secretary, the SUPP had one minister and one deputy minister while UPKO and the PBS each had one minister. The SPDP had one deputy minister.

--NST