Zaid's cabinet

From Malaysiakini:

Zaid Ibrahim proposed certain PH members as his choice to be in the PH cabinet. 

But before we read his list, let's check on what is meant by the 'inner' cabinet?

It is said to be a group of the most important members of the cabinet, who may meet with the Prime Minister (PM) and decide policy away from the rest of the Cabinet.

In the USA, the 'inner cabinet' consists of the [I will use the equivalent British and/or Malaysian terms in square parentheses]:

a. Departments of Justice [no equivalent but consider it as the AG cum Law Ministry],

b. Treasury [British Exchequer/ Malaysian Finance],

c. State [Foreign Affairs], and

d. Defense [Defence].

The Secretary of State [Foreign Affairs], Secretary of the Treasury [Finance], Secretary of Defense [Defence], and Attorney General are also known in the USA as 'The Big 4'.

I would say the British and Malaysian governments have more or less the same ranking with perhaps one addition, Home Affairs, though the Battle of Order, or the ministry relative importance, in the 'inner cabinet' of the Malaysian government [apart from the PM and DPM] would in my opinion be:

a. Home Affairs [USA - equivalent maybe Homeland Security cum Police cum Immigration etc]

b. Finance [USA - Treasury]

c. Defence

d. Foreign Affairs [USA - State]

Yes, in Malaysia, Foreign Affairs is quite low in its importance in the 'inner cabinet' compared to the USA's State Department, while I believe Home Affairs is an extremely important ministry which comes next only after the PM and DPM.

Each country has its ministerial pecking order where I think in Australia, any ministry dealing with Rural affairs and Aborigine affairs would have greater importance.

Thus in Malaysia, with our history of insurgency and political turmoil, Home Affairs has a very important role. The ministry controls many important agencies such as police, security intelligence (CIA cum FBI), immigration, etc.

In the earlier years, the Education Ministry was vital to any aspiring UMNO person wanting to be PM because it provided grass-root support from the highly politically-involved and politically-minded Malay teachers who would be mostly UMNO members. Mahathir, Anwar, Najib all went through this ministry.

But today Podah to Education, UMNO members want contracts (money) which would come from the Finance Ministry which has been why it was held by Mahathir, AAB and still is held by Najib.

Our dear Zaid has recommend the following PH pollies to the 'inner cabinet' inclusive of PM and DPM:

PM - Mahathir (Pribumi)

DPM - vacant

Home - Pribumi tied post

Finance - Azmin Ali

Defence - Mat Sabu

Foreign Affairs - Pribumi tied post 

Nice going, Zaid. 

Oh, BTW, Moody has been recommended by Zaid to be Minister of Oil & Petroleum (Pribumi), wakakaka - very sheik and very nice.