All eyes on Abdullah’s picks

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has many things to consider as he forms the next Cabinet. With fewer MPs to choose from and a dismal coalition performance, all eyes will be on him next week.
THOSE making phone calls to ministers - who served in the previous Cabinet - have been pleasantly surprised off late at the speed at which their calls have been answered.
Some of these former ministers sounded jumpy, probably because they were expecting that call on a Cabinet post.
It has been a long week after the general election for most politicians. With the disappointing performance of Barisan Nasional, – having lost five states (Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor and the Federal Territory) – the country is back to speculating who will make it to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Cabinet.
Who’s in? Pak Lah to trim number of ministries
Before the general election, some ministers in Putrajaya had packed their stuff.
Others had not done so – hoping to be appointed back to the Cabinet. As they say one day is a long time in politics.
All of the sudden some ministers have a lot of time on their hands.
Several have started asking what is the talk in town - their way of asking if anyone has heard whether they are in the Cabinet or not.
While much as the country is watching the formation of state governments among opposition parties, the public is closely following the formation of Abdullah’s next Cabinet.
It is going to be a smaller Cabinet, said the Prime Minister. But how much smaller can it get?
The word that has been going around is that it may be a reduction of a few ministers – from the present 32 (including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister) to just 28.
When Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad stepped down in 2003, his Cabinet had 27 ministers.
In 1982, there were 20 Cabinet members.
For the 2004 Cabinet, Abdullah enlarged the membership by creating two new ministries, splitting three and abolishing one.
Much to the chagrin of many, he kept many old faces.
Some argued that Abdullah had to retain them because they were coalition party leaders plus the landslide victory in the 2004 general election.
So what are the things that the Prime Minister needs to consider this time? The Umno supreme council that met a few days ago had made it clear to Abdullah that the MIC and Gerakan should not be represented in the Cabinet due to their dismal performance.
These parties may see their representation at a lower level instead - a deputy minister or parliamentary secretary.
It is almost definite that Abdullah has to merge the two education ministries as well as Science, Technology and Innovation with Energy, Water and Communication ministries.
The same goes for the Home Affairs and the Internal Security ministries.
One of the arguments for the split was that that Internal Security will be more focus on tasks like improving the police force while one of the responsibilities of Home Affairs is to handle the growing problem of foreign workers and illegal ones.
Needless to say much more has to be done by these two ministries and under one flagship, more problems and tasks can be tackled and managed.
This will also reduce talks of officials being too powerful in granting approvals. Also closely monitored will be who stays and who is new.
Gerakan adviser Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik on Monday gave a stinging reminder of the need for Abdullah to change his advisers who had been giving him the wrong advice.
It is by no coincidence that just within hours in the same day, the Umno supreme council, which held its meeting echoed similar sentiment to the party president.
Critical views were voiced on the interference of “hidden hands”.
Party insiders said although the party president said he would change, they told him point blank that “the people around him would have to change.”
Abdullah has to get his Cabinet formed soon.
Lest anyone forgets Malaysia has been in caretaker government for the last one month.
After this election, his new Cabinet must consist of members with unquestionable integrity and who are result-orientated.

tunku : the new cabinet should not includes Nazri Aziz, Rafidah Aziz,Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and of course those who lost their seats.Most of all it should not include the biggest disease in UMNO that is Khairy Jamaludin and hopefully a new PM.I personally feels that Abdullah should step down as the prime minister.He's not capable of leading this country.He can still be the UMNO president till next UMNO General Assembly.