Abdullah's Cabinet 2008

PM Abdullah announced his new Cabinet. Ministries reduced from 32 to 27 (XXL to XL). No parliamentary secretaries posts. Notable inclusions are millionaire lawyer and ex-MP (Kota Baru) Zaid Ibrahim, banker Amirsham Abdul Aziz in the PM's department. Recycled minister Shahrir Samad returns to the Cabinet after 22 years. He was FT minister from 1983-1986 under Mahathir. And was it a good idea to include Mamat Mamat Taib (from Senate back door) as a minister ? Among the ministers dropped was Umno Wanita chief & ex-MITI Rafidah Aziz. She said if she was not going to be appointed, she should have been told in advance. She should'nt have run for elections and should have retired. And to add salt to her wounds, her deputy chief Shahrizat (who lost in the GE) was named as special cabinet advisor (with ministerial status) on Women,Family & community development affairs. Also dropped were anti-Shahidan Perlis MPs Radzi Sheikh Ahmad & Azmi Khalid. Other ministers dropped were Tunku Adnan Mansor & Abdullah Md Zin. A disappointed Radzi resigned as Umno and BN secretary-general , effective immediately. There were 16 new ministers, some promoted from deputy. Some 'leftovers' from MCA and MIC made ministers and deputies. BN's strong supporters from Sabah & Sarawak were under-represented. Umno Youth deputy chief, Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau MP) not appointed to cabinet.