KANGAR: The reshuffle and appointment of the new Perlis State Executive Council (exco) will proceed with only Bersatu assemblymen, following Pas‘ decision not to take part in the state cabinet.
This comes after Pas announced it would not join the exco to be formed by newly sworn-in Menteri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah, with all Pas exco members stepping down in solidarity with former menteri besar Mohd Shukri Ramli, who resigned on Dec 25.
Abu Bakar said the state government respected Pas’s position but had no option other than to continue administering the state by appointing all Bersatu assemblymen.
“At present, we have no alternative. Only five Bersatu assemblymen, including myself, won seats in the last general election. While the number is small, it is not wrong to proceed. We must give them space to serve the people of Perlis and continue the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration without Pas in the state cabinet,” he said when met at the Menteri Besar’s Office here today.
He added that under the Perlis State Constitution, the minimum requirement to form an exco is one-third of the total number of assemblymen.
“Even with only five Bersatu assemblymen, this meets the constitutional requirement. The minimum number of exco members is four, so we can proceed with the new appointments as soon as possible,” he said.
On portfolio arrangements, Abu Bakar said the government was unlikely to reduce the number of portfolios, although some restructuring was possible.
“We will not reduce the portfolios, but there may be abolitions or mergers, similar to what was done previously,” he said.
He added that the full reshuffle and appointment of the new Perlis exco were expected to be finalised within two weeks, following signals from Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan calling for the process to be expedited.
Abu Bakar also did not rule out the possibility of including three former Pas assemblymen who were dismissed from the party, should they regain their seats as independents.
“If no by-election takes place and the three former Pas assemblymen are able to reclaim their seats that were declared vacant by the Speaker, we will consider forming a workable grouping.
“This means space and opportunity will be given to any independent assemblyman to be part of this administration,” he said.
Besides Abu Bakar, who is the Kuala Perlis assemblyman, Bersatu Perlis has four other assemblymen. They are Izizam Ibrahim (Titi Tinggi), Datin Marzita Mansor (Sena), Megat Hashirat Hassan (Pauh) and Wan Zikri Afthar Ishak (Tambun Tulang).
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
