COMMENT | Perikatan Nasional announced its shadow cabinet line-up on Feb 2. Let’s explore eight pertinent questions on the matter.

1. Why are there no Chinese and Indian shadow ministers? Why so few women ministers?

Many people’s first response to PN’s shadow cabinet was that it cannot possibly serve a multicultural Malaysia well because it is predominantly Malay Muslims, with only one non-Muslim bumiputera each from Sabah and Sarawak, and not a single Chinese or Indian.

Such criticisms are driven by either ignorance of what shadow cabinet means and how it works, or enmity against PN.

A shadow cabinet must consist of...