PAS' inclusion in Cabinet an honour for Kelantan - Ahmad Yakob

KOTA BHARU, March 10 -- The appointment of five ministers, including one senior minister, and five deputy ministers, from Kelantan to the federal Cabinet, is an honour for the state and the people, Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob said.

He also expressed confidence that all of them will be able to perform their duties as entrusted by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin well.

“Personally, I am very happy with the appointments. In fact, this is indeed a historic event for Kelantan,” he said when contacted here today.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced his new Cabinet line-up, which saw Senator Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin being appointed as Education Minister, Jeli Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy), Kota Bharu MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), Kubang Kerian MP Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as Environment Minister, and Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa as Federal Territories Minister.

Also appointed were Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikhmal Hisham Abdul Aziz as Deputy Defence Minister, Pengkalan Chepa MP Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Rantau Panjang MP Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (Deputy Women and Family Minister), Tumpat MP Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi (Deputy Agriculture and Food Industry Minister), and Senator Datuk Dr Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad (Deputy Environment Minister).

Ahmad, who is also PAS deputy spiritual leader, said he was also happy that the new Cabinet members comprised experts in religious affairs, cooperatives and finance.

“This is the Cabinet that the people want. More importantly, those appointed are clean of any criminal or misconduct record,” he said.

Ahmad also said that he was satisfied with the appointment of Federal Territories Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri as the Religious Affairs Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

He said this was because Zulkifli has a vast knowledge of religious affairs and the non-Muslims in the country do not have to worry because he is also fair in making a decision.

-- BERNAMA