MELAKA: It would be better to dissolve Parliament and return the mandate to the people than to reshuffle the cabinet, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
The Barisan Nasional chairman, however, said he saw no need for a Cabinet reshuffle at the moment.
He also alluded to an unnamed cabinet member who had pledged to resign if former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was allowed to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
“I do not see the need for a cabinet reshuffle at this point, although there is someone who may have committed to resigning when Najib returns home to serve the remainder of his sentence.
“Rather than reshuffling the cabinet, it would be better to dissolve Parliament, return the mandate to the people and form a new Cabinet after that,” he told reporters at a press conference after attending a gathering with Melaka Community Development Department (Kemas) members today.
Zahid was responding to questions about speculation surrounding a possible cabinet reshuffle.
On Sept 28, Transport Minister Anthony Loke submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after the Pardons Board allowed Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
Loke’s resignation is expected to take effect once Najib returns home to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
Earlier today, Anwar said it was too early to discuss the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle.
This followed speculation surrounding the positions of Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan and Loke, amid the possibility of two vacancies in the cabinet.
Amir Hamzah’s term as a Dewan Negara member expires next month. His appointment would need to be extended for him to remain in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, Zahid said Umno would leave it to the courts to decide on the legal proceedings concerning the royal addendum order relating to Najib.
He also cautioned against any delaying tactics that could obstruct the implementation of the royal pardon granted to the former prime minister.