KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — Newly-appointed Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the ministry’s tasks and responsibilities will be decided soon after its scope and functions are known tomorrow.
He will be attending the Cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office tomorrow to understand the ministry, as this is instrumental in formulating policies and plans aligning with its objectives, covering various timelines like short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals.
“I will look into it starting tomorrow, and I believe we will soon be able to develop a clear framework and strategic direction for the ministry’s activities and initiatives. We will hold a press conference soon,” he said during a press conference at the DAP headquarters today.
Gobind, 50, previously the Communications and Multimedia Minister during the Pakatan Harapan-led government under former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to February 2020, has made a comeback under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim following his appointment today.
At the same press conference, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said Ramkarpal Singh, the former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), had chosen to resign voluntarily and the decision was to prevent concerns about nepotism in the Unity Government’s Cabinet.
“As Ramkarpal and Gobind are siblings, having both in ministerial roles seemed inappropriate. He sacrificed his position to prevent criticism toward the DAP party, a spirit I value,” he said.
Loke also expressed his deep gratitude to Ramkarpal for his significant contributions to legal reform and the drafting of new laws during his year of service.
“At the same time, I would like to extend my highest appreciation to the former human resources minister (V. Sivakumar) for his service over the past year. He issued a statement openly accepting the Prime Minister’s decision, which is commendable and appreciated by the party (DAP),” he added.
Also present at the media briefing were Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran, and Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in announcing the Cabinet reshuffle today, said this was carried out as the government needs to make adjustments to meet the current demands and situation.
— Bernama
