Selangor exco line-up will need one more member

KLANG: The Selangor exco line-up will need one more member when the new mentri besar is sworn in.

With Datuk Seri Azmin Ali relinquishing his Mentri Besar post for a ministership in the Federal Cabinet, a new one will have to be selected from among the PKR exco members.

The party now needs to select one of its assemblymen to assume that vacated exco position.

The current PKR exco members are Amirudin Shari (Sungai Tua), Prof Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin (Seri Setia), Haniza Mohamed Talha (Lembah Jaya) and Hee Loy Sian (Kajang).

However, the new mentri besar is expected to be either Amirudin or Dr Shaharuddin.

In a statement, state DAP secretary Ean Yong Hian Wah urged the Pakatan Harapan leadership to consult component parties on the appointment, adding that candidates must undergo strict vetting.

“The candidates must fulfil (certain) requirements and receive the support of component parties,” he added.

Ean Yong, who has served in Azmin’s previous state Cabinet, said the new mentri besar must also uphold Pakatan Harapan’s ideals, goals and people-centric policies to ensure Selangor remains a model state for Malaysia.

He said the incoming mentri besar would have large shoes to fill.

Several groups are also urging for an Indian to be appointed as the new exco member in the line-up.

“PKR’s multiracial facet is bigger and more visible than DAP’s and the line-up already has Malays and a Chinese. So, where is the Indian?

“We are not into racial profiling but to have an Indian PKR representative in the exco will be a bonus for the countless grassroots Indians and minorities who are strong supporters of the party,” said Minorities Rights Action Party (Mira) secretary-general Kannan Ramasamy.

He claimed that the PKR-led state government had earlier pledged to have two Indians in the exco lineup after the 2008 general election.

“This was also not fulfilled after the 2013 general election and we think it is time PKR appoints an Indian from the party as exco member,” added Kannan.

DAP’s V. Ganabathirao is currently the sole Indian representative in the exco line-up.

PKR’s Dr Xavier Jayakumar was an exco member after the 2008 general election before being replaced by Ganabathirao in 2013.

MySkills Foundation director S. Pasupathi agreed, adding that there was a need for an additional Indian exco member to address Indian issues.

“The problems faced by the B40 (bottom 40% of the income group) Indian community are very peculiar and complex and if the state and federal governments are truly serious in addressing this matter, they need to have an additional Indian just to look into their plight,” he added.

The candidates must fulfil (certain) requirements and receive the support of component parties. Ean Yong Hian Wah