KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that his administration is reviewing several government agencies and those found to be with overlapping duties will be dissolved.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (Dec 21), Mr Anwar announced that the National Recovery Council (NRC) led by Perikatan Nasional Chairman Muhyiddin Yassin has been disbanded due to an overlap in government duties.
He said for the council to continue operating would only lead to an increase in the government’s operating costs.
Former prime minister Muhyiddin was appointed NRC chairman in September last year, which came with ministerial status.
The NRC had composed of senior ministers, ministers, as well as senior government officials, among others. Its objective was to make sure that the country’s National Recovery Plan – a guideline to bring the COVID-19 situation under control – could be achieved, Malaysian media had previously reported.
According to Mr Anwar, apart from the NRC, there have been proposals to dissolve government bodies with overlapping duties.
“For example, the duties of the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) can be handled by the police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC),” he said.
Mr Anwar added that he and the Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali had also identified some duties that the prime minister could be relieved of.
“I have to let go of many prime ministerial duties because some of them can be entrusted to the deputy prime minister,” he said.