KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — The “balanced” cabinet announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today includes six representatives from the Indian community — two ministers and four deputy ministers.
For the first time, Najib has also brought in a representative from the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which was once anti-government, into his cabinet to help bring positive change to the Indian community’s socio-economic position.
Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy has been appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, while Penang People’s Progressive Party (PPP) chairman Datuk Loga Bala Mohan, who is to be made a senator, has been given the Federal Territories Deputy Minister post.
Meanwhile, heading the MIC representatives in the new cabinet is party president Datuk Seri G.Palanivel who has been appointed Natural Resources and Environment Minister while deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam is now Health Minister.
MIC vice-president Datuk M.Saravanan is the new Youth and Sports Deputy Minister while the party’s national coordinator for its Putera movement, P.Kamalanathan, has been appointed Education and Higher Learning Deputy Minister II.
-Bernama
