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AFP
Kuala Lumpur
Scandal-hit Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Monday announced a cabinet reshuffle, including promoting a trusted ally to manage the economy, in what analysts said could be preparation for a snap election. Najib, 62, who has survived a massive financial scandal linked to state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), said the shake-up would bolster his administration.
"The reshuffle will boost the government's ability to pursue development programmes as promised," he said in a statement. Analysts said the reshuffle showed Najib could weather the affair - related to hundreds of millions of dollars of 1MDB money which went missing in complex overseas transactions that have never been fully explained. Both 1MDB and Najib, who founded the fund, vehemently deny wrongdoing.
Najib was personally plunged into the crisis last year when it was revealed that $681 million in transfers were made to his personal bank accounts. He says the 'personal donations' from the Saudi royal family were mostly returned.
The reshuffle saw influential lawmaker Abdul Rahman Dahlan, appointed minister in charge of the Economic Planning Unit. In total Najib made four new ministerial appointments and picked six deputy ministers. Johari Abdul Ghani becomes second finance minister, Noh Omar was appointed urban well-being minister and Mah Siew Keong was made plantation industries and commodities minister.
Analysts and lawmakers said the shake-up indicated Najib's growing confidence he could weather the 1MDB scandal, raising the prospect of a snap election before 2018.
