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Proliferation of

Public Offices
and
Concentration of
Power
Dr Wong Chin Huat
Fellow, Penang Institute

Puli Foru o Caiet Reshuffle
Organised by REFSA
KLSCAH, Kuala Lumpur. 2014-06-10
Expansion, Not Reshuffle
Adjustment in Office-holders
Reshuffle
Movement
Addition
Removal
Adjustment in Size
Expansion
Addition
Downsizing
Removal

Why do we need Cabinet Ministers?
Administrative Explanation (benefit)
To run ministries and government
agencies
Political Explanation (cost)
To sustain the government
Power-sharing (Parliamentary System)
Rewarding supporters
Proliferation of Public Offices
Aspect Normal
Countries
Malaysia
Cabinet Size Fixed Open
Room for
rewarding
Limited Unlimited
Payroll Controlled Growing
Weight of
each minister
Fixed Declining with
increase
PMs power Fixed Growing with
increase
Malaysia -- Najib Razak's Cabinet 2014 Australia -- Tony Abbott's Cabinet 2013
Portfolio N Concurrent Portfolio N Concurrent
Prime Minister 1 Prime Minister 1
Deputy Prime Minister 1 Deputy Prime Minister 1
Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department 10


Attorney-General 1
Treasurer 1
Ministers of Finance 2 *#1 PM Minister for Finance 1
Ministers of Education 2 *#1 DPM Minister for Education 1
Minister of Transport 1 Minister for Infrastructure and Regional
Development
1 DPM
Minister of Works 1
Minister of Rural and Regional Development 1
Minister of Plantation Industries and
Commodities
1

Minister for Agriculture 1
Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry 1
Minister of Home Affairs 1 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection 1
Ministry of Communication and Multimedia 1 Minister for Communications 1
Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water 1
Minister of International Trade and Industry 1 Minister for Industry 1
Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and
Consumerism
1

Minister for Small Business 1
Minister for Trade and Investment 1
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation 1
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment 1

Minister for Environment 1
Minister of Tourism and Culture 1 Minister for the Arts 1 AG
Minister of Defence 1 Minister for Defence 1
Minister of Health 1 Minister for Health 1
Minister of Youth and Sports 1 Minister for Sport 1 M of Health
Minister of Human Resources 1 Minister for Employment 1
Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local
Government
1


Minister of Women, Family and Community
Development
1 Minister for Social Services 1
Minister of Foreign Affairs 1 Minister for Foreign Affairs 1
Minister of the Federal Territories 1
Minister for Indigenous Affairs 1
Total, Ministerial Positions 37 2 Total, Ministerial Positions 22 3
Total, Ministers 35 Total, Ministers 19
Malaysia -- Najib Razak's Cabinet 2014 India -- Narenda Modi's Cabinet 2014
Portfolio N Concurrent Portfolio N Concurrent
Prime Minister 1 Prime Minister of India 1
Deputy Prime Minister 1
Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department 10 Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions 1 PM
Minister of Atomic Energy 1 PM
Minister of Space 1 PM
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs 1 M of UD
Minister of Minority Affairs 1
Minister of Law and Justice 1
Minister of Tribal Affairs 1
Ministers of Finance 2 #1 PM Minister of Finance 1
Minister of Corporate Affairs 1 M of Finance
Minister of Transport 1 Minister of Road Transport and Highways 1
Minister of Works 1 Minister of Shipping 1 M of RT & Hw
Minister of Railways 1
Minister of Civil Aviation 1
Ministers of Education 2 #1 DPM Minister of Human Resource Development 1
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities 1 Minister of Agriculture 1
Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry 1 Minister of Food Processing Industries 1
Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers 1
Minister of Home Affairs 1 Minister of Home Affairs 1
Ministry of Communication and Multimedia 1 Minister of Communications and Information
Technology
1 M of Law & J
Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water 1 Minister of Water Resources, River Development and
Ganga Rejuvenation
1
Minister of Rural and Regional Development 1 Minister of Rural Development 1 M of RT & Hw
Minister of International Trade and Industry 1 Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises 1
Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism 1 Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution
1
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 1
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation 1
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment 1 Minister of Mines 1
Minister of Steel 1 M of Mines
Minister of Tourism and Culture 1
Minister of Defence 1 Minister of Defence 1 M of Finance
Minister of Health 1 Minister of Health and Family Welfare 1
Minister of Women, Family and Community Development 1 Minister of Women and Child Development 1
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment 1
Minister of Youth and Sports 1
Minister of Human Resources 1 Minister of Labour and Employment 1 M of Mines
Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government 1 Minister of Urban Development 1
Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation 1 M of UD
Minister of Foreign Affairs 1 Minister of External Affairs 1
Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs 1 M of EA
Minister of the Federal Territories 1
Total, Ministerial Positions 37 2 Total, Ministerial Positions 36 13
Total, Ministers 35 Total, Ministers 23
How can other countries work
with much fewer ministers?
Malaysia
Population: 30 million
N of Ministries*: 26
N of Ministerial Positions:
37
N of Ministers: 35
N of Ministries with >1
Ministers: 3
N of Ministers with >1
Ministries: 2
Australia
Population: 24 million
N of Ministries*: 22
N of Ministerial Positions:
22
N of Ministers: 13
N of Ministries with >1
Ministers: 0
N of Ministers with >1
Ministries: 3

* The offices of PM and DPM treated as ministries of their own, alongside PMD
# Mamohan Sighs last aiet has 29 iisters, 7 with ultiple portfolios
How can other countries work
with much fewer ministers?
Malaysia
Population: 30 million
N of Ministries*: 26
N of Ministerial Positions:
37
N of Ministers: 35
N of Ministries with >1
Ministers: 3
N of Ministers with >1
Ministries: 2
India
Population: 1.2 billion
N of Ministries*: 36
N of Ministerial Positions:
36
N of Ministers: 23
N of Ministries with >1
Ministers: 0
N of Ministers with >1
Ministries: 7

* The offices of PM and DPM treated as ministries of their own, alongside PMD
# Mamohan Sighs last aiet has 29 iisters, 7 with ultiple portfolios
More Offices,
Greater Concentration of Power
Proliferation of Public offices:
Under-employment of public officials
Concentration of power:
the larger the N, the harder to organise collective
action
Realms of Job Creation to buy off supporters or
even challengers
Civil service
Cabinet/Executive
Parliament
Consideration 1: effectiveness of Parliament
Consideration 2: quality of representation
How big should the Parliament be?
11
An average MP spoke and was heard for


2012
023137
The Dewan Rakyat met for



5605800
Should we have MORE MPs
so that each can speak LESS?
By Nicholas Chan
Redelineation First,
Seat Increase Later
Peninsula and
Labuan
Sabah Sarawak
Constituency Redelination
1
st
Notice of Display 2002.08.08 2002.08.08 2005.01.07
2
nd
Notice of Display 2003.01.16 2002.12.26 2005.04.22
EC report laid before Dewan
Rakyat
2003.04.03 2003.04.03 2005.06.23
Draft Order passed by Dewan
Rakyat
2003.04.08 2003.04.08 2005.07.04
Order Gazetted 2003.05.01 2003.05.01 2005.08.01
Seat Increase
Amendment of Article 46
passed by Dewan Rakyat
2003.06.19 2003.06.19 2005.09.29
Amendment of Article 46
Gazetted
2003.08.14 2003.08.14 2005.12.31
Acknowledgement: Parliamentary Library of Malaysia; The Malaysian Bar especially Dr Pathmavathy Satyamoorthy, Santhi
Latha and Anusha Gopalan Krishnan; Lu Wei Hoong and Cheng Eng Aun
Why the Confusions?
Issue Consideration Decision Maker

Pre-1962 Post-1973
(by design)
2003 & 2005
Redelineation
(in practice)
Total Seats Effectiveness of
Parliament;
Quality of
Representation;
Step 1:
Parliament
(Article 46)
*2/3 majority
Step 1:
Parliament
(Article 46)
*2/3 majority


Step 2:
*Election
Commission*
(Article 46)
*2/3 majority

Interstate
Apportionment
Electorate Size
and Power of
State
Step 2:
Election
Commission
(Article 116)
Districting
(issues of gerrymandering +
Intra-state
malapportionment)
Electorate Size
and Local Ties
Step 2:
Election
Commission
(13
th
Schedule)
*50% approval
Step 1:
Election
Commission
(13
th
Schedule)
*50% approval
This page photo credit: http://americandigest.org/sidelines/bulb-438254.jpg
Title page photo credit: http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/article-1288688327997-0bdc3e56000005dc-13408_636x396.jpg
Lets have more politial jos?

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