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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's first permanent government since the fall of Saddam Hussein was approved by parliament and sworn in on Saturday, despite the failure to fill three ministry posts because of political disputes.

"The main problem now is security, and they could not appoint defense and interior [ministers]," said prominent Sunni Muslim politician Saleh al-Mutlag, who walked out of the proceedings.

"This session is illegal," al-Mutlag said. "They added seven ministries without getting approval." Al-Mutlag said he and others had asked the government to wait longer to try to fill the critical posts. (Watch why the historic day was not trouble-free -- 3:49)

Prime Minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki said he would temporarily run the Interior Ministry, and he made a temporary appointment to the Defense Ministry -- Salam al-Zawbai, a Sunni politician who also had been designated as a deputy prime minister.

A third Cabinet post -- ministry of state for national security -- also remains open and will be temporarily overseen by designated Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, a Kurd.

Shiites are predominant on the list of Cabinet members, reflecting the Muslim sect's strong showing in the December 15 parliamentary election and their large population in Iraq -- an estimated 60 percent.

This is the face of the new government, which is to rule Iraq for a four-year term.

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Deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiyah declared it a "historic day for Iraq."

"We pray to God almighty to give us strength so we can meet the ambitious goals of our people who have suffered a lot," al-Maliki told the 275-member body.

He promised a government of national unity and described an agenda that includes bringing together Iraq's disparate communities, building security, and providing necessary services.

The new ministers took their oaths of office, promising to "preserve the independence and sovereignty of Iraq" and its people, and to "protect its integrity."

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Foreign Minister Hoshayr Zebari, a Kurd, will continue in that post in the new Cabinet. Husayn al-Shahrastani, a Shiite ex-deputy parliamentary speaker, has been named the Cabinet oil minister. Baqir Jabr al-Zubaydi, a controversial transitional interior minister, has been named the finance minister.

Of the 40 permanent government posts, 37 have been selected so far and four have been allocated to women.

Wijdan Mikaeil, the only Christian chosen, is the human rights minister. Fatin Abdel-Rahman, a Sunni, is the minister of state for women's affairs. Narmin Othman, a Kurd, is environment minister, and Bayan Dazee, a Kurd, is housing and construction minister.

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