PM NAJIB STILL FINALISING CABINET

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's new Premier Najib Razak is still finalising his new cabinet and there will be no announcement on Wednesday as expected, reports and officials said.
Najib, who is tipped to unveil a streamlined cabinet aimed at helping him push through promised reforms, may make the announcement on Thursday before travelling to Thailand for a regional summit.
"There is no cabinet reshuffle announcement today. The earliest will be tomorrow," a senior government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The convention is for Najib, who was sworn in last week, to seek the consent of Malaysia's king before announcing the new cabinet.
The New Straits Times reported Wednesday that the premier, who leads the ruling party UMNO, has yet to meet with all its partners in the Barisan Nasional coalition on the formation of his new line-up.
Local media have speculated that Najib is likely to reveal a slimmed down cabinet from the current 27 ministries with 32 ministers, and that coalition parties have been told they may get fewer seats.
Insiders say Najib is likely to retain the finance portfolio, seen as critical during the global economic crisis and that UMNO deputy leader Muhyiddin Yassin is tipped to be deputy prime minister and defence minister.
Najib has unveiled an ambitious agenda to overhaul UMNO, which was humbled in elections last year by voters who see it as corrupt and out of touch.
But the new premier was dealt a rebuke by voters Tuesday after losing two of three by-elections seen as a referendum on his leadership.
Courtesy: Channelnewsasia.com