PETALING JAYA, Aug 23 (Sin Chew Daily) — The new cabinet is expected to be slim and made up of ministers with clean track record.

A reliable source told Sin Chew Daily some ministries may be merged to have a smaller cabinet.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is meeting party leaders on recommendation of cabinet ministers.

The cabinet line-up is likely to be announced by this Tuesday so that the first cabinet meeting can be held on Wednesday, said a source.

Several parties are interested in the deputy prime minister post.

Apart from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi is also vying for the position.

Umno which has initially agreed that the DPM candidate should be from Bersatu, holds a different view now.

“Although the new cabinet is likely to be slimmer than the previous one, it is still not known if the prime minister will increase the number of DPM positions to two to please all parties,” said the source.

Bersatu has recommended its deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu or secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin as DPM candidates.

Ministry of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof have been dropped as DPM candidates.

Ismail Sabri has been meeting various party leaders and former ministers in a hotel for the past two days.

Perikatan Nasional president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Bersatu’s president, stated earlier that his party supported Ismail Sabri as the country’s ninth prime minister with the condition cabinet members are clean, credible and not involved in legal tussle.