PETALING JAYA:
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appears intent on keeping the religious affairs portfolio apoliticial based on the recent Cabinet reshuffle, according to analysts.
Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said the promotion of Zulkifli Hasan to religious affairs minister, and Marhamah Rosli’s appointment as his deputy, showed that Anwar wanted to keep the portfolio free from the liabilities of political parties.
Zulkifli, a senator, was an academic with International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) while Marhamah is a religious teacher.
Zulkifli used to be deputy religious affairs minister to Na’im Mokhtar, a former shariah court chief judge who was dropped in the Cabinet shake-up.
“Their appointments align with the approach of…