KEDAH EXCO TO SEE RESHUFFLING
This is following appointment of Amiruddin as deputy finance minister
THE Kedah state exco will undergo a reshuffle less than two months after it was formed following the appointment of Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah as deputy finance minister.
Amiruddin is the Anak Bukit assemblyman and Kubang Pasu member of parliament.
His appointment would see Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir reshuffling the state executive council (exco) soon to fill the vacancy left by Amiruddin, who was the state Finance, State Government-owned Companies, Industry and Investment and Religious Affairs Committee chairman.
Sources said Kuah assemblyman Mohd Firdaus Ahmad was likely to be appointed as a new executive councillor to fill Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s quota in the exco.
“Mukhriz has two PPBM representatives that could be in the exco.
“One is Firdaus and the other is Ayer Hangat assemblyman Juhari Bulat.
“However, Juhari has declined to join the exco as he feels that his appointment as the Kedah deputy speaker is a heavy responsibility.
“Looking at this, Mukhriz will appoint Firdaus, who is qualified to become a member of the state exco.
“But the portfolios will be reshuffled to enable younger elected representatives to provide the best service in their posts,” he told the NSTP.
The source said the issue of the state assembly’s speaker’s post had been resolved and it would be finalised at the first sitting of the state assembly tomorrow.
“It was decided that former Kuala Kedah member of parliament Datuk Ahmad Kassim, who is from PKR, would be appointed as the Speaker, with Juhari as the deputy.
“Mukhriz has received the support of three Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen — Datuk Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail (Guar Chempedak), Datuk Norsabrina Mohd Noor (Bandar Baharu) and Datuk Suraya Yaacob (Sungai Tiang) — and Pas representatives on the appointments.
In the 14th General Election, Pakatan Harapan won 18 out of the 36 state seats, while Pas won 15 and BN got three seats.