Senior Minister of Malaysia (Malay: Menteri Kanan Malaysia; Jawi: منتري کانن مليسيا) was the third highest ranking political office within the Malaysian cabinet ranking above a federal minister and below the Deputy Prime Minister[note 2] in Malaysia from March 2020 to November 2022. Former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, started the convention of appointing senior ministers into his cabinet. The convention was maintained in the cabinet of his successor, Ismail Sabri Yaakob. His successor Anwar Ibrahim did not follow and instead appointed two Deputy Prime Ministers in his cabinet and abolished the office of Senior Minister. According to Muhyiddin, the office was to deputise for the Prime Minister, similar to the duties of the Deputy Prime Minister. Muhyiddin also named one of the four former Senior Minister Azmin Ali as the Acting Prime Minister during his absence during his term as the Prime Minister. However, during a brief period from 7 July 2021 to 16 August 2021 for 40 days, both offices coexisted. Muhyiddin promoted Ismail Sabri to the Deputy Prime Minister while promoting Hishammuddin Hussein to replace Ismail Sabri as the Senior Minister and retaining all three other Senior Ministers on 7 July 2021, the coexistence ended after the collapse of the Muhyiddin administration on 16 August 2021 as after Ismail Sabri became the Prime Minister, he did not appoint the Deputy Prime Minister and only appointed Senior Ministers.[1][2]
| Senior Minister of Malaysia | |
|---|---|
| Menteri Kanan Malaysia منتري کانن مليسيا | |
 | |
| Style | Yang Berhormat Menteri (The Honourable Minister ) unless otherwise specified |
| Member of | Cabinet Parliament[note 1] |
| Reports to | Parliament |
| Nominator | Prime Minister |
| Appointer | Yang di-Pertuan Agong |
| Term length | 5 years, renewable. Depended on the Prime Minister |
| Formation | 10 March 2020 |
| First holder | Azmin Ali Ismail Sabri Yaakob Fadillah Yusof Radzi Jidin |
| Final holder | Azmin Ali Hishammuddin Hussein Fadillah Yusof Radzi Jidin |
| Abolished | 24 November 2022 |
| Website | www |
Appointment and power
editThe cabinet formed under former Prime Minister Muhyiddin in 2020, following the 2020-2021 Malaysian political crisis, was unique as there were no Members of Parliament (MPs) appointed to the post of the Deputy Prime Minister in his current cabinet.[note 3] Instead, he appointed four senior ministers.[3][4]
These senior ministers will assist the prime minister in carrying out his duties as prime minister including chairing cabinet meetings during his absence. Although the four senior ministers were of equal standings, Azmin Ali was designated by the prime minister to preside over the cabinet's meeting in his absence.[5]
These positions were dissolved following the resignation of the cabinet after they had handed in their resignation to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on 16 August 2021.[3][4]
List of Senior Ministers of Malaysia
editColour key (for political parties):
Perikatan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Gabungan Parti Sarawak
| Portrait | Name
(Birth–Death) |
Political Party | Cluster | Term of office | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Azmin Ali محمد عزمين علي (b. 1964) MP for Gombak |
Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |
Economics and Financial | 10 March 2020 | 16 August 2021 | 1 year, 159 days | Muhyiddin Yassin | ||
| Ismail Sabri Yaakob إسماعيل صبري يعقوب (b. 1960) MP for Bera |
Barisan Nasional (UMNO) |
Security and Unity | 7 July 2021[6] | 1 year, 119 days | ||||
| Hishammuddin Hussein هشام الدين حسين (b. 1961) MP for Sembrong |
7 July 2021[6] | 16 August 2021 | 40 days | |||||
| Fadillah Yusof فضيلة يوسف (b. 1962) MP for Petra Jaya |
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (PBB) |
Infrastructure Development | 10 March 2020 | 1 year, 159 days | ||||
| Mohd Radzi Md Jidin محمد راضي محمد جيدين (b. 1977) Senator |
Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |
Education and Society | ||||||
| Mohamed Azmin Ali محمد عزمين علي (b. 1964) MP for Gombak |
International Trade and Industry | 30 August 2021 | 24 November 2022 | 1 year, 86 days | Ismail Sabri Yaakob | |||
| Hishammuddin Hussein هشام الدين حسين (b. 1961) MP for Sembrong |
Barisan Nasional (UMNO) |
Defence | ||||||
| Fadillah Yusof فضيلة يوسف (b. 1962) MP for Petra Jaya |
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (PBB) |
Works | ||||||
| Mohd Radzi Md Jidin محمد راضي محمد جيدين (b. 1977) Senator |
Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |
Education | ||||||
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See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Either the Member of House of Representatives or Senate.
- ^ It was the second highest political office from 10 March 2020 to 7 July 2021 and again from 30 August 2021 to 24 November 2022. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister as the second highest level of political office was served in from 7 July 2021 to 16 August 2021. Therefore, the office was demoted in ranking, from the second to the third and hence it was the third highest political office from 7 July 2021 to 16 August 2021.
- ^ As of 7 July 2021, a Deputy Prime Minister has been appointed to his cabinet.
References
edit- ^ "Malaysia PM Ismail Sabri names 4 senior ministers in new Cabinet; no DPM appointed". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "Ismail unveils cabinet, no DPM". Malaysiakini. 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- ^ a b "Malaysia's PM Muhyiddin unveils Cabinet line-up, four senior ministers named". The Straits Times. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ a b "PM Muhyiddin announces Cabinet without Deputy Prime Minister". Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Muhyiddin: Kedudukan menteri kanan sama". Bernama (in Malay). 11 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Muhyiddin reshuffles Malaysian Cabinet, promoting Ismail Sabri to deputy prime minister". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 7 July 2021.