KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has appointed the Umno president, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia during the cabinet line-up on December 2, 2022.
After the 15th general election resulted in a hung parliament, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the chairman of Barisan Nasional, played a crucial role in providing Anwar with the necessary legislative majority to create the latter’s coalition administration.
The important portfolio of rural and regional development will also be assumed by Ahmad Zahid.
Most citizens may be alarmed by his controversial appointment to the position of deputy prime minister given that he is currently on trial for 47 alleged criminal trust breaches, corruption, and money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit that belonged to Yayasan Akalbudi, the charity organization he founded.
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof was also selected as the other deputy prime minister who will be in charge of the plantation industries and commodities portfolio.
Anwar admitted yesterday that the formation of the Cabinet by his national unity administration was guided by several considerations, including the fact that Pakatan Harapan was the largest bloc in the governing party, followed by BN and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.
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