Chief secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said this was agreed on by the Cabinet when it met two days ago.

This comes after PKR’s Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad stepped down as natural resources and environmental sustainability minister in May.

Johari, the Titiwangsa MP, is also an Umno vice-president.

Last month, the Cabinet agreed for finance minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan to take on the duties and functions of the economy portfolio, following Rafizi Ramli’s resignation.

Amir was also tasked with overhauling the 13th Malaysia Plan, which will be tabled in Parliament on July 31.

Rafizi and Nik Nazmi quit their Cabinet posts after losing the PKR party elections in May. They failed to defend their posts of deputy president and vice-president, respectively.