R. Ramanan’s appointment as human resources minister gives the Indian community two full ministers, alongside retained digital minister Gobind Singh Deo.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Indian community in Malaysia has gained another full minister in the Madani Government lineup.
This follows the appointment of Datuk Seri R. Ramanan as the new human resources minister in a cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Ramanan’s appointment means the Indian community is now represented by two full ministers in the cabinet.
This includes Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who was retained in this reshuffle.
Ramanan replaces Steven Sim Chee Keong, who has been transferred to head the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives.
Additionally, Segamat MP R. Yuneswaran was appointed as deputy national unity minister.
He replaces Senator Saraswathy Kandasami.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran has been maintained.
Gobind rejoined the cabinet when appointed as digital minister in the Unity Government cabinet announced in December 2023.
Ramanan, 44, previously served as the deputy entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister since December 2023.
The Sungai Buloh MP caused a surprise in the 15th General Election by defeating former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He is the grandson of Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan, a respected Indian political figure.
Krishnan was the first woman to hold a public office in Malaya before independence.
The current developments recall previous administrations where the Indian community was also represented by two full ministers.
At that time, MIC had two full ministers in the cabinet.
They were the late Datuk Seri G. Palanivel as natural resources and environment minister and Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam as health minister.
