Former Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Junid has given the thumbs down for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's new cabinet line-up.
"It is clear that those appointed into the cabinet were those vocal in condemning former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"This is as though it is a 1MDB cabinet. A cabinet to defend 1MDB. A cabinet to trivialise and cover-up all the efforts to expose 1MDB," he alleged in a Youtube video.
The former Umno secretary-general believes Muhyiddin Yassin's speech at the Cheras Umno annual assembly was not the main reason for him to be dropped as deputy prime minister.
"I don't think he was sacked because of the speech. I think the speech was the last reason as it takes time to do research to complete a cabinet line-up," he said.
Both Muhyddin and Shafie Apdal were dropped by cabinet last Tuesday, following critical remarks made by the duo on 1MDB.
PAC been paralysed
On July 26, Muhyiddin made a speech where he claimed his advice for Najib to step down as 1MDB advisory board chairperson was ignored and that Umno's electoral prospects were gloomy .
Sanusi said there was nothing sensitive about Muhyiddin's speech as he raised what was routinely spoken about by the public.
"The problems surrounding 1MDB have yet to be solved. The interest of bank loans continues. The unprofitable investments are ongoing. What is going to happen to our country?" asked Sanusi.
"The world is criticising us. We feel ashamed to go abroad. The youths cannot explain the matter which they don't understand. My friend from abroad asked me, why is it as though there is madness in the country," he said.
The former Umno strongman also criticised the appointment of Public Accounts Committees (PAC) president Nur Jazlan Mohamad and three members as minister and deputy minister.
The move has "paralysed" PAC, he said, referring to the adjournment of PAC's hearing into 1MDB fiasco following the cabinet reshuffle.
Gani's sacking is suspicious
Nur Jazlan, the ex-chairperson of PAC was appointed as Deputy Home Minister. The other three are Wilfred Madius Tangau, Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
"I felt that the PAC's work is more important than deputy minister's work," opined Sanusi, who served as cabinet minister during 1981 to 1995.
"During my time, the deputy ministers (were empowered to) act as ministers whenever the latter were sick, on leave and abroad," said Sanusi.
However, deputy minister's today are limited to asnwering questions in Parliament and doing public relation works.
On the sudden termination of Abdul Gani Patail as attorney-general, Sanusi said the reasons given by the government were questionable.
"A member of the special task force was terminated for sickness. The person who is said to be sick for a long time, should had resigned himself, but he wanted to complete his duty. This has became a question," he said.
He added that Mahathir's continued effort to speak on 1MDB was different from what the opposition was doing.
"The differences between DAP lawmaker Tony Pua and Mahathir, was the former raised the issue to defeat BN in election, while Mahathir noted this can cause (BN's) defeat unless we correct the problems," he said.
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