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The Cabinet of Malaysia (Malay: Jemaah Menteri Malaysia) is the executive branch of the Government of Malaysia. Led by the Prime Minister, the cabinet is a council of ministers who are accountable collectively to the Parliament. According to the Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, members of the Cabinet can only be selected from members of either houses of Parliament. Formally, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints all Ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister.[1] The constitution is amended by repealing the Clause (8) of Article 43, enabling a person who is a member of State Legislative Assembly to continue to be one even when he or she is appointed as a minister or deputy minister in the cabinet. Ministers other than the Prime Minister shall hold office during the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, unless the appointment of any Minister shall have been revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister but any Minister may resign his office. In practice, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is obliged to follow the advice of the Prime Minister on the appointment and dismissal of ministers.
Members of the Cabinet must be members of either house of Parliament. Most ministers are appointed from the lower house, the Dewan Rakyat, although a few are appointed from the upper house, the Dewan Negara. The Prime Minister must be a member of the Dewan Rakyat. Although Deputy Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries may be appointed to each portfolio, they are not included in the Cabinet. The Cabinet meets weekly, every Wednesday.[2] After the position of Parliamentary Secretary was removed and partial live telecasts of Parliament proceedings began in 2008, Cabinet meetings were moved to Fridays whenever Parliament sat, so as to allow Ministers to personally answer questions during Question Time in Parliament.[3]
The composition of the Cabinet, and the number of portfolios depends mainly on the wishes of the Prime Minister at the time. However, the post of Finance Minister was considered so important as to be a necessity, and as a result was incorporated by the Minister of Finance (Incorporation) Act 1957 (Act 375).[4] The position of Deputy Prime Minister is one that exists by convention, and as a result a Prime Minister could theoretically form a Cabinet without a Deputy.[5]
Deputy ministers exist for each portfolio, although they are not considered members of the Cabinet. The position of Deputy Minister was created by constitutional amendment in 1960. The office of parliamentary secretary for each ministry exists but none were appointed after the 2008 Malaysian general election. Parliamentary secretaries were provided for by an amendment in 1963. Deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries are also appointed from members of Parliament, and deputise for the ministers in government ministries and in Parliament respectively. An additional office, that of the Political Secretary, exists. Political Secretaries need not be members of Parliament. Before taking office, all members of the Cabinet, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, and Political Secretaries take an oath of secrecy concerning the proceedings of the Cabinet.[5]
An outline of the functions of the Cabinet are as follows:[6]
22 cabinets have taken place in Malaysia since 1957 headed by eight Prime Ministers.
Name of Cabinet | Head of Cabinet | Period of Office | Composition |
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Rahman I | Tunku Abdul Rahman | 31 August 1957 – 19 August 1959 |
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Rahman II | 22 August 1959 – 24 April 1964 |
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Rahman III | 25 April 1964 – 1969 |
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Rahman IV | 1969 – 21 December 1970 |
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Razak I | Abdul Razak Hussein | 22 December 1970 – 24 August 1974 |
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Razak II | 25 August 1974 – 14 January 1976 |
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Hussein I | Hussein Onn | 15 January 1976 – 8 July 1978 |
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Hussein II | 9 July 1978 – 15 July 1981 |
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Mahathir I | Mahathir Mohamad | 16 July 1981 – 21 April 1982 |
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Mahathir II | 22 April 1982 – 2 August 1986 |
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Mahathir III | 11 August 1986 – 26 October 1990 |
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Mahathir IV | 22 October 1990 – 3 May 1995 |
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Mahathir V | 4 May 1995 – 14 December 1999 |
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Mahathir VI | 15 December 1999 – 2 November 2003 |
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Abdullah I | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | 3 November 2003 – 26 March 2004 |
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Abdullah II | 27 March 2004 – 18 March 2008 |
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Abdullah III | 19 March 2008 – 9 April 2009 |
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Najib I | Najib Razak | 10 April 2009 – 15 May 2013 |
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Najib II | 16 May 2013 – 9 May 2018 |
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Mahathir VII | Mahathir Mohamad | 10 May 2018 – 24 February 2020 |
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Muhyiddin | Muhyiddin Yassin | 1 March 2020 – 16 August 2021 |
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Ismail Sabri | Ismail Sabri Yaakob | 27 August 2021 – present |
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As of 25 May 2022, the Cabinet comprises:
BN (14)
PN (12)
GPS (4)
PBS (1)
PBM (1)
As of 27 August 2021, the deputy ministers are:
PN (19)
BN (15)
GPS (4)
Portfolio | Office bearer | Party | Constituency | Took office | Left office | |
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Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department | Dato' Eddin Syazlee Shith MP (Economy) |
PN (PPBM) | Kuala Pilah | 30 August 2021 | Incumbent | |
Datuk Mastura Mohd. Yazid MP (Special Functions) |
BN (UMNO) | Kuala Kangsar | ||||
Datuk Wira Hjh. Mas Ermieyati Hj. Samsudin MP (Parliament and Law) |
PN (PPBM) | Masjid Tanah | ||||
Datuk Ustaz Hj. Ahmad Marzuk Shaary MP (Religious Affairs) |
PN (PAS) | Pengkalan Chepa | ||||
Dato' Hjh. Hanifah Hajar Taib MP (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) |
GPS (PBB) | Mukah | ||||
Deputy Minister of Finance | Mohd. Shahar Abdullah MP | BN (UMNO) | Paya Besar | |||
Yamani Hafez Musa MP | PN (PPBM) | Sipitang | ||||
Deputy Minister of Defence | Dato' Sri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz MP | Tanah Merah | ||||
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs | Dato' Sri Dr. Hj. Ismail Hj. Mohamed Said MP | BN (UMNO) | Kuala Krau | |||
Datuk Jonathan Yasin MP | PN (PPBM) | Ranau | ||||
Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry | Senator Datuk Lim Ban Hong | BN (MCA) | Senator | |||
Deputy Minister of Education | Senator Dato' Dr. Mah Hang Soon | Senator | ||||
Datuk Mohamad Alamin MP | BN (UMNO) | Kimanis | ||||
Deputy Minister of Environment and Water | Dato' Dr. Mansor Othman MP | PN (PPBM) | Nibong Tebal | |||
Deputy Minister of Federal Territories | Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias MP | BN (UMNO) | Jelebu | |||
Deputy Minister of Transport | Dato Henry Sum Agong MP | GPS (PBB) | Lawas | |||
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries | Datuk Seri Hj. Ahmad Hamzah MP | BN (UMNO) | Jasin | |||
Dr. Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh MP | PN (PAS) | Pasir Puteh | ||||
Deputy Minister of Health | Dato' Dr. Hj. Noor Azmi Ghazali MP | PN (PPBM) | Bagan Serai | |||
Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang MP | GPS (PRS) | Kanowit | ||||
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture | Dato' Sri Dr. Edmund Santhara Kumar Ramanaidu MP | PN (PPBM) | Segamat | |||
Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government | Dato' Sri Dr. Hj. Ismail Hj. Abd. Muttalib MP | BN (UMNO) | Maran | |||
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports | Senator Dato' Sri Ti Lian Ker | BN (MCA) | Senator | |||
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | Dato' Hj. Kamarudin Jaffar MP | PN (PPBM) | Bandar Tun Razak | |||
Deputy Minister of Higher Education | Senator Dato' Dr. Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad | BN (UMNO) | Senator | |||
Deputy Minister of Human Resources | Datuk Hj. Awang Hashim MP | PN (PAS) | Pendang | |||
Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs | Dato' Hj. Rosol Wahid MP | PN (PPBM | Hulu Terengganu | |||
Deputy Minister of Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives | Muslimin Yahaya MP | Sungai Besar | ||||
Deputy Minister of Rural Development | Dato' Sri Abdul Rahman Mohamad MP | BN (UMNO) | Lipis | |||
Datuk Hj. Hasbi Hj. Habibollah MP | GPS (PBB) | Limbang | ||||
Deputy Minister of Works | Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup MP | BN (PBRS) | Pensiangan | |||
Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation | Datuk Hj. Ahmad Amzad Hashim MP | PN (PAS) | Kuala Terengganu | |||
Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources | Datuk Ali Anak Biju MP | PN (PPBM) | Saratok | |||
Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities | Dato' Sri Dr. Wee Jeck Seng MP | BN (MCA) | Tanjung Piai | |||
Datuk Willie Anak Mongin MP | PN (PPBM) | Puncak Borneo | ||||
Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development | Dato' Hjh. Siti Zailah Mohd. Yusoff MP | PN (PAS) | Rantau Panjang | |||
Deputy Minister of National Unity | Senator Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal | PN (PPBM) | Senator | |||
Deputy Minister of Communication and Multimedia | Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin MP | BN (UMNO) | Padang Besar |
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry
Ministry of Communications and Multimedia
Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Co-operatives
Ministry of Environment and Water
Ministry of Territories
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Human Resources
Ministry of International Trade and Industry
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities
Ministry of Rural and Regional Development
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Ministry of Housing and Local Government
Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development
Ministry of Works
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Ministry of Health
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
Others