Khairy not likely to get cabinet post

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is expected to announce his new cabinet line-up tomorrow and rumours are rife that various Umno leaders, “naturally” expected to be on the list, would be dropped.

The most notable from this alleged shocker is the exclusion of newly-elected Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin from the line-up.

The speculation is that the youth and sports minister post which is traditionally-slotted for Umno Youth chief, will not be given to Khairy, but to his party poll rival Mukhriz Mahathir instead.

The appointment of Mukhriz, who does not hold any Umno position, would be a snub to Khairy. Moreover, Mukhriz is son of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is seen to be close to Najib.

Should this turn out to be true, many observers would consider this as a tactical error by Najib as he cannot afford to trigger an early internal war against Khairy, who is seen to be the last influential figure from the former premier and Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi camp.

Khairy, when contacted for comments, said the decision on whether or not he would be making it to the line-up is entirely up to the prime minister.

“It is entirely up to him. It is his prerogative and I will give my undivided support to him whether or not I am included in the cabinet line-up,” he told Malaysiakini.

Umno's internal strife may worsen

But Khairy as an Umno “junior” and in a party that tolerates no disobedience from its leaders is expected to “roll over” and publicly accept any decision made by his boss.

It would be his supporters and those from the Abdullah camp that Najib would have to deal with and should the speculation be true, Umno would see its taxing effort to unite the party after undergoing one of its worst internal strife end prematurely.

Najib could also see the party’s internal strife worsen by not appointing the party youth chief to any cabinet post when Khairy’s right-hand man and party deputy, Razali Ismail, has been tipped to take over Muhamad Muhd Taib’s post as Rural and Agricultural Development Minister.

Current minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was recently elected party supreme council member will be assigned a new post holding the Tourism Ministry portfolio replacing Azalina Othman who is known to be a staunch supporter of Abdullah.

Umno deputy president, Muhyiddin Yassin, as many would expect is already the deputy prime minister and is expected to hand over his International Trade Ministry portfolio to newly-elected party vice-president, Zahid Hamidi, who is currently a minister in the PM’s Department.

Muhyiddin will be expected to take over as the Home Ministry from Syed Hamid Albar who might see his political career end at this point.

End of the road for Rais Yatim?

As for current Education Minister and newly-elected Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, speculations has it that Najib would maintain his position there.

Another newly-elected Umno vice-president, Shafie Afdal, who is now the arts, culture and heritage minister might be “elevated” as the new foreign minister replacing another party “old guard” Rais Yatim who could also see his political career end.

Another party supreme council member, Zainal Abidin Osman, is said to have been chosen to be the new defence minister, a post held by Abdullah before he resigned.

Umno Wanita chief Shahrizat Jalil is expected to rejoin her old ministry, the Women, Family and Community Development as its minister.

Speculations also has it that Nazri Aziz would be dropped as the minister in the PM’s Department and will be replaced by senator and newly-elected party supreme council member Azian Osman.

Apart from the new faces in the cabinet line-up, Najib, who will be announcing the new line-up from his office in Putrajaya tomorrow morning is also expected to announce the creation of new portfolios.

It is said that portfolios like the special minister for Chinese affairs and special task minister would be created with MCA leader Ng Yen Yen and Umno Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman holding the posts respectively.