BAGHDAD, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Saturday called on the Prime Minister designate Adel Abdul-Mahdi to not to hand over the key posts in the ministries of defense and interior to any political parties.
"No party or bloc has the right to nominate any (key security posts), as the Iraqi army, police and other security forces must be loyal to the country exclusively," Sadr said on his Twitter account.
"There are important and sensitive positions, which could be one of the most instrumental elements of anti-corruption reform," he noted.
As a leader of the Alliance Toward Reforms which claimed to be the frontrunner in May 12 parliamentary elections, Sadr said the sensitive positions must be handed over to experienced and non-partisan figures.
On Oct. 2, the Iraqi parliament elected Barham Salih as President of Iraq, who later named Adel Abdul-Mahdi as prime minister designate and tasked him with forming the new government for the next four years.
Since then, Abdul-Mahdi has been busy with tough negotiations with different political blocs over the members of his cabinet.
According to the Iraqi constitution, the prime minister designate has 30 days to put together a cabinet and present it to parliament for approval.
