Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president Larry Sng has claimed that his recent proposal for the inclusion of all unity government parties in the Cabinet was based on commitments made by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when the unity government was formed.
Sng, the Julau MP and PBM’s sole representative in the Dewan Rakyat, said Anwar promised “many parties many things” to secure their support before the unity government was formed in late 2022.
“I am just reminding him of what was promised,” he said in a Facebook post.
“Even if he decides against allocating a position to PBM, we will remain (in the unity government) and continue to lend our support to him until the next election.”
Political analysts yesterday poured cold water on Sng’s proposal that all unity government parties – including those with only a few MPs such as PBM, MCA and MIC – be represented in the Cabinet.
They said that redistributing portfolios from larger coalition partners could strain ties within the government, and that awarding ministerial posts to parties with only one or two MPs would fuel the perception that Anwar was giving in to political demands.
The analysts also warned that Anwar would risk a public backlash over a bloated Cabinet.
The Prime Minister’s Office said last week that a Cabinet reshuffle, Anwar’s second since assuming office in November 2022, would be announced soon.
The Cabinet has four vacant posts: economy; natural resources and environment sustainability; entrepreneur development and cooperatives; and investment, trade and industry.
