KLANG (March 24, 2008): History was made when Selangor's executive council members were sworn in today, with half of its members being non-Malays and women power coming to the fore.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Istana Alam Shah here and for Teresa Kok Suh Sim (DAP), Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping (PKR), Dr Halimah Ali (PAS) and Rodziah Ismail (PKR), it was especially memorable as never before have so many women being given seats in a state exco.
The other exco members were Yaakob Sapari (PKR), Dr Xavier Jayakumar (PKR), Datuk Dr Hassan Ali (PAS), Iskandar Abdul Samad (PAS), Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew (DAP) and Ean Yong Hian Wah (DAP).
Effectively, the 10-member exco comprises four PKR leaders, and three each from DAP and PAS.
Early last week, it was reported that the palace preferred a line-up comprising of six Malays and four non-Malays to represent the racial composition in the state.
Kok, who was named senior exco member, was the first person sworn in before Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. She will take the important porfolio of investment, industry and trade.
The PKR-DAP-PAS coalition won 31 state seats in the March 8 general election. PKR garnered 15 seats while DAP and PAS secured 13 and eight, respectively.
In a press conference after the ceremony, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who is the PKR secretary-general, said the exco will decide whether to create the post of deputy mentri besar. “The state had a deputy MB years ago. But at this point of time, we feel that for effectiveness and cohesion, we should not dwell on the subject of the deputy MB.”
Khalid said they will have a press conference every fortnight. "Every fortnight if you continue to ask the same question, we will continue to give the same answer,” he quipped, indicating that they wanted the heat on the post to cool off.
It was reported that the DAP had been lobbying to appoint a non-Malay from the party as deputy MB.
Khalid also did not want to confirm speculation that Sungai Pinang DAP assemblyman Teng Chang Kim, a lawyer, will create history for being appointed as the first non-Malay Speaker in the state assembly.
On why the exco members’ portfolio mainly focused on urban development, he said this was because more than 60% of the state’s economy had been urbanised.
Asked what the main objective of the new state exco was, he said the exco members should be given time to study the magnitude of problems such as illegal factories.
“We are not trying to stop business. We just want to make sure they operate within the requirement of the state,” he said.
Khalid said the date for the first state assembly would be between April and May.
On why many of the state assemblymen, including those from the ruling coalition, did not turn up for the ceremony, he said: “They are (all) invited.(This) doesn’t mean that they have to come. Only the exco members have the formal reception.”
Among those absent was Teng, who is the most senior assemblyman in the PKR-DAP-PAS coalition.
It is an open secret that Teng, a Selangor assemblyman since 1995, cannot see eye-to-eye with party secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Kok, who is the DAP publicity secretary, said she had a meeting with Teng last night.
“He said he did not receive an invitation to attend the ceremony. Teng never said he was dissatisfied (for not being appointed). We should congratulate him if he could be made the first Chinese Speaker in the state assembly.
“The speaker has a lot of power. I believe he can be an outstanding Speaker."
Some new exco members appeared to be surprised when they were told that Khalid had announced their respective portfolios.
“We were not told about our portfolio beforehand,” one of them said.
Former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, and Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib, who is the new Selangor Umno and Barisan Nasional chief, were also present at the swearing-in ceremony.
PKR Youth chief claims Umno MPs ready to join PKR
KUALA LUMPUR (March 24, 2008): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) expects to welcome “15 or 16” newly-elected MPs with open arms in the near future, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin revealed today.
He told a media conference that the MPs were from all over the country, including “many Umno division leaders, especially those in troubled states like Selangor, Perlis and Terengganu” who are planning to jump ship.
He said he had received numerous calls from grassroots leaders and the main factors influencing their decision were because they were disappointed with the Umno leadership and the performance of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Asked when the MPs would be making their stand on joining PKR, Shamsul Iskandar said that it would be “soon” and that “maybe they’re waiting for Anwar to be in Parliament”.
“We believe the people’s mandate was one asking for change, so the betrayal of voters does not arise,” said Shamsul Iskandar.
He added that PKR will accept defectors if they “can accept our agenda” as stated in the party’s manifesto.
The PKR Youth also rebutted Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s allegations that PKR was trying to buy over Umno members and questioned Tengku Adnan’s integrity following his implication in the brokering of judges as portrayed in the Lingam video-clip last September.
“We will give Tengku Adnan 14 days to provide evidence of his claims. If he fails, we demand an open apology or we will institute legal action against him,” he said.
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=21151
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