Malaysians voted in 219 MPs to the Lower House last election. The Barisan Nasional coalition controls 92 percent of the seats, leaving 19 to the Opposition and 1 to an Independent.

Although a small country, Malaysia has a jumbo-sized Cabinet or Administration. Out of the 199 government members in Parliament, 87 are appointed either as Minister, Deputy Minister or Parliamentary Secretary. Three Senators are also co-opted into the Cabinet.

Articles 43, 43A, 43B of the Federal Constitution govern the appointment of Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers.

The Cabinet here is over-sized because the Barisan Nasional has 15 component parties and the PM has to accommodate most if not all the parties’ representatives in the Administration.

Although one is taught to understand that the Barisan Nasional practices power-sharing and collectively responsibility, it is Umno, the dominant party that decide on important issues.

The importance of the Umno Supreme Council in determining national policies cannot be underestimated and it wields more power than the Cabinet.

Although leaders of other component parties are allocated Cabinet positions, it is clear they are given marginalized roles and less important portfolios.

Umno not only dominates major and important portfolios, its hegemony is extended to each and every ministry. There is at least one Umno representative in each ministry, especially those headed by non-Umno ministers.

Sometimes non-Umno ministers are given a hard time in Parliament. Umno backbenchers would gang-up to “bully” them for not giving satisfactory replies.

However, whenever the Opposition MPs whacked Umno ministers for their shoddy replies, these Umno lieutenants would jump into their defence as if Umno ministers are given immunity from parliamentary accountability.

But there were occasions that Umno backbenchers came with a specific agenda to run down their ministers. Rafidah was grilled over the AP scandal, while Rais was taken to task for his disregard of Standing Order’s rule on official attire. They even went to the extent to dress up in bow ties to demonstrate their displeasure.

Abdullah seems unable to break the traditional practice of having a jumbo-sized Cabinet. Well, that is all possible in Bolehland.