Perak exco in next week?
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 26, 2008
Andrew Ong

The protracted delay over the swearing-in of Perak executive councillors is likely to be resolved later this week when Sultan Azlan Shah returns from abroad. MCPX

A list of nominees was submitted by the DAP-PKR-PAS coalition on Sunday for the consideration of the palace.

Barring any rejection of names, sources indicate that the oath-taking ceremony could be as held as early as Monday.

Perak and Terengganu are the two remaining states that have yet to formalise their exco line-up.

During the general election on March 8, DAP secured the highest number of seats in the state assembly with 18, followed by PKR with seven and PAS with six.

The coalition government has overcome the first hurdle of supporting the Sultan’s selection of the menteri besar from PAS, the smallest party in the coalition. It has since been scrambling to resolve the allocation of exco posts.

DAP, which has the largest number of seats in the proposed allocation, has been lobbying for one of its assemblypersons to be appointed a deputy menteri besar.

perak cm mb mohamad nizar jamaluddinImmediately after Pasir Panjang assemblyperson Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin was named menteri besar, he announced that two deputies would be appointed.

The two posts were to be filled with representatives of the Chinese and the Indian community respectively. However, this plan has apparently fallen flat as the palace was not agreeable.

A source close to the state government said DAP is still pushing for the creation of the posts while PAS is now in agreement with the palace and PKR is “ambivalent”.

“All three parties have a very different stand on the issue,” said the source.

Another sore point is believed to have arisen over the distribution of portfolios among the incoming exco.

DAP has publicly hinted that it is keen for its representative to be given the portfolio on land matters - one of the most powerful and important positions in the state.

According to the source, PAS has argued that the portfolio is usually held by the menteri besar, as is also the case in the DAP-led Penang government and PKR-led Selangor government.

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