KUALA LUMPUR: With three ministers resigning and four senators’ terms ending in December—including one who cannot be reappointed, the Cabinet is likely to have at least four vacant ministerial positions.

The four ministries are: Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development and Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.

Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli and Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad quit in June and July respectively after both lost in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) party election.

On Saturday night, Datuk Ewon Benedict, Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development, dropped a bombshell on Facebook by declaring his dissatisfaction with the federal government’s stance on the High Court ruling that Sabah is entitled to 40 percent of net revenue.

Ewon, the United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (UPKO) president, resigned on Monday citing the reason that he must uphold Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Meanwhile, Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Investment, Trade & Industry, will be completing his second term as senator on December 2.

Since Tengku Zafrul has served two terms as a senator from March 2020 to March 2022 and from December 2022 to December 2025, he cannot be reappointed.

Under the Federal Constitution, Cabinet ministers must either be a member of Dewan Rakyat or the upper house of Senate.

Senators may serve a maximum of two terms, with each term lasting three years.

Besides Tengku Zafrul, the senatorship of three other ministers are also expiring on December 2.

They are: Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, Minister of Home Affairs Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.

Zambry, Saifuddin, and Na’im are first-term senators and are eligible for reappointment, allowing them to retain their ministerial posts.

However, Tengku Zafrul, having already served two terms, cannot be reappointed and must vacate his ministerial position.

Sources close to the matter reveal that since Zafrul, who recently defected from Umno to join PKR, has performed well both as former Finance Minister and incumbent Trade Minister, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has a detailed plan to retain him in another capacity.

As component parties of Pakatan Harapan—PKR, Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) have concluded their annual general assemblies and party elections producing new leadership line-ups, a major Cabinet reshuffle is anticipated after the upcoming Sabah state election—allowing the Unity Government to strengthen its team ahead of the next general election.

Sources indicate that Anwar will likely use this opportunity to reorganize the Cabinet, not only to fill the vacant posts but also replace underperforming ministers, in a bid to enhance the Unity Government’s image ahead of the 16th General Election which may be held earlier.

Anwar has declined to respond directly when asked by the media about a Cabinet reshuffle.

However, given the current political timeline, the earliest reshuffle is likely after the Sabah state polls on November 29.