KUALA LUMPUR – Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani today clarified that there is no Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday, amid growing speculation about a possible Cabinet reshuffle.
According to Johari, there has been no discussion or official briefing on the matter during Cabinet meetings.
“I don’t think so. Where got? All this talk about reshuffle – the power to appoint ministers lies solely with the Prime Minister. He has the absolute prerogative to make any decision.
“If there’s a meeting, it hasn’t been about that. He (the Prime Minister) didn’t discuss it. If it were true, there would be a briefing. But for now, there’s nothing. No reshuffle so far,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after officiating the 2025 Wood Expo here today.
Yesterday, Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would hold a briefing with Cabinet ministers on Tuesday, which was expected to include discussions on a potential reshuffle.
Mohamad Sabu said the session would also see the Prime Minister explaining the resignation of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick, which was announced on Saturday.
“I only heard about Ewon’s resignation through the news, but there will be a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday where the Prime Minister will provide an explanation.
“We will also discuss the reshuffle then, so I don’t want to comment further for now,” he said.
Speculation over a Cabinet reshuffle intensified after Ewon, who held the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives portfolio, announced his resignation from the Federal Cabinet on principle – citing issues related to the implementation of Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement as enshrined under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Federal Constitution.
Recently, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir appeared to hint at a possible reshuffle when he said whether or not he remained in the Cabinet was not the main issue, but rather the importance of continuing the national agenda.
This followed remarks he made as his term as Senator is set to expire in December.
However, Zambry later clarified that his comments were made in jest during a speech in front of the Prime Minister, and should not be interpreted as a sign of an imminent reshuffle. He said his statement was a light-hearted reference to his expiring Senate term. – November 10, 2025