New Cabinet: Rafidah, Adnan, Radzi, Azmi, Jarjis Dropped. 27 Ministries . 17 Ministers Retained.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced a leaner Cabinet today. Pak Lah keeps the finance ministry portfolio to himself and retained Nor Mohamed Yakcop as the second finance minister.

He made sweeping changes to his cabinet line-up on Tuesday, dumping his long-serving trade minister, after the ruling coalition suffered a heavy setback at elections this month.

The omission of Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz, a minister for almost 30 years and a senior member of the main ruling party, was the biggest surprise in the new line-up, which could shape Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's political future.

"Half (of the cabinet) will be new faces and will represent the people effectively," said Abdullah, who faces a possible test of his leadership at party elections later this year.

Asked why Rafidah, reputedly the world's longest-serving trade minister with 20 years in the job, had been dropped, he replied: "I don't want to discuss this. I don't need to explain further. Rafidah needs to make way for someone new to take over." Rafidah was replaced by ex-agriculture minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Abdullah's National Front coalition suffered the biggest electoral setback in its 50-year reign on March 8, when it lost its two-thirds majority in federal parliament and five of the country's 13 states to opposition parties.

He kept technocrat Nor Mohamed Yakcop as second finance minister, a role in which he effectively runs economic and fiscal policy, though Abdullah formally remains the finance minister.

The new line-up comprises some younger politicians than the previous cabinet, which was known as the "mummified cabinet" by opposition parties because it included several ministers with more than 20 years of service. (Reuters)

***** Significantly no Parliamentary Secretaries were appointed. The pleasant surprise inclusions were Datuk Shahrir Samad as Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister and Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department. The unpleasant surprise was the appointment of Muhammad Muhd Taib as Rural and Regional Development Minister.

The power struggle in Perlis had its impact also, as the chief protagonists in the earlier cabinet, Radzi and Azmi are out too.

The most surprising feature was the non-appointment of Khairy Jamaluddin. But given the circumstance, Pak Lah probably thought that it wasn't worth the risk at this point in time. However if the PM were to consolidate his power in Umno and the government over the next few months KJ may still get a shot at a ministerial post.

The complete list of Cabinet appointments.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz
Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim
Datuk Amirsham Abdul Aziz

Deputy Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department
Datuk Johari Baharom
Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim
Datuk K. Devamany
Datuk Hassan Malik

Finance
Minister - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Second Finance Minister - Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop
Deputies - Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Datuk Kong Cho Ha

Defense
Minister - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Deputy - Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop

Internal Security and Home Affairs
Minister - Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Deputies - Datuk Chor Chee Heong, Senator Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh

Housing and Local Government
Minister -Datuk Ong Ka Chuan
Deputies - Datuk Robert Lau , Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin

Works Minister
Minister - Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad
Deputy- Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

Energy, Water and Communications
Minister - Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Deputy- Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry
Minister - Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Deputy - Datin Paduka Rohani Abdul Karim

International Trade and Industry
Minister -Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputies- Loh Wei Keong, Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan

Foreign Affairs
Minister -Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Deputy- Tunku Azlan Abu Bakar

Education
Minister -Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein
Deputies -Datuk Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Razali Ismail

Higher Education
Minister - Datuk Khaled Nordin
Deputies - Khoo Kok Choong, Datuk Idris Harun

Transport
Datuk Ong Tee Keat
Deputy - Anifah Aman

Human Resources
Datuk S. Subramaniam
Deputy- Datuk Noraini Ahmad

Women, Family and Community Development
Minister-Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen
Deputy- Noriah Kasnon

National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage
Minister- Datuk Shafie Apdal
Deputy-Datuk Teng Boon Soon

Science, Technology and Innovation
Minister- Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy- Fadilah Yusof

Entrepreneurial and Cooperative Development
Minister - Datuk Noh Omar
Deputy- Datuk Saiffuddin Abdullah

Natural Resources and Environment
Minister - Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas
Deputy - Datuk Abu Ghapur Salleh

Rural and Regional Development
Minister - Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib
Deputy- Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Minister - Datuk Shahrir Samad
Deputy - Jelaing Mersat

Plantation Industries and Commodities
Minister - Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy- Senator A. Kohilan

Youth and Sports
Minister - Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaacob
Deputy - Wee Jack Seng

Health
Minister - Datuk Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy- Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad

Information
Minister - Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Deputy- Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

Tourism
Minister - Datuk Azalina Othman
Deputy - Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abu Taib

FT
Minister - Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique
Deputy- M. Saravanan