In new cabinet, Muhyiddin asserts control while powerful rivals kept in check

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday sought to unveil a Perikatan Nasional cabinet that is both palatable to the public and political stakeholders but without ceding too much control that it could empower rivals and weaken his own position.

In keeping with his "government of integrity" message, Muhyiddin, who is also the Bersatu president, kept with the previous Pakatan Harapan government's practice by not taking up the finance ministry portfolio.

Between 2001 and 2018, the prime minister has also been the finance minister, a concentration of power that has been blamed, in part, for the 1MDB scandal ...