Mahathir names three cabinet ministers, sets up council of elders

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday named three ministers in his "small cabinet" and announced the establishment of a "council of elders" to advise the government, taking the first step in governing the country.

The three new ministers, all leaders of the component parties of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, are finance minister Lim Guan Eng, defense minister Mohamad Sabu and minister of home affairs Muhyiddin Yassin.