KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin today jokingly suggested that the government should appoint Titiwangsa member of parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Johari Ghani as Finance Minister I.

The suggestion was put forth after opposition MPs Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) and Mohd Syahir Sulaiman (PN-Bachok) proposed that Johari could be the second finance minister to ensure that the jurisdiction between the prime minister, economy minister and finance minister were drawn.

Johari replied in jest that he wants to be Finance Minister I.

“I want to be the first, not second,” Johari quipped during Hamzah’s debate on the mid-term review of the 12th Malaysian Plan (12MP) in Dewan Rakyat, today.

Following this, Hamzah withdrew his earlier suggestion to the House to appoint Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan to be the Finance Minister I.

“Speaker (Tan Sri Johari Abdul), please include Titiwangsa’s (Johari) speech to be appointed as the Finance Minister I in my debate speech.

“I am sorry Pontian (Ahmad), I withdrew my suggestion earlier (to have you as the first finance minister), or you can be the second finance minister instead.”

Johari was previously the second finance minister under former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s government.