ALOR SETAR: Kedah is leaving one state executive council post vacant, reserving it for the MCA, Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said yesterday.
He said the post reserved for MCA would be filled when the leadership of the party concerned agreed to have their state assemblyman in the state exco.
Mukhriz said he had sent a letter to MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek requesting his views and suggestions on the matter.
“It is my hope that MCA makes its decision quickly, I don’t want this matter to prolong,” he told reporters after the appointment of the Kedah state executive councillors at Istana Anak Bukit, here yesterday.
Only eight state executive council members took their oath of office yesterday, compared to 10 people in the previous state government.
Mukhriz said Kedah could also adopt the practice by Johor in the appointment of Pulai Sebatang Assemblyman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong as a Johor state executive council member if MCA did not agree to have its member in the Kedah exco.
Tee’s appointment was based on a decree by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
“I can present to the Tunku Bendahara (who is chairman of the Kedah Regency Council) to agree to the suggestion, but we respect the decision of our friends in MCA and do not want to impose on them for a Chinese representative,” said Mukhriz.
He said the portfolio reserved for the MCA representative was chairman of the State Environment, Chinese Community Affairs, Health and Unity.
On the appointment of the eight executive council members, Mukhriz said it would be for one term and not on yearly basis as was the previous practice.
“This has been consented to by the Council of the Kedah Regency, but as Menteri Besar, I can reshuffle the state exco whenever necessary,” he added.
On the appointment of two women exco members, he said it was based on meritocracy, as well as their experience.
In a related development, the Kedah MCA is leaving to the party central leadership to decide on MCA’s representation in the state exco.
“The Kedah MCA gives full support to the state exco line-up,” Kedah MCA chairman Datuk Chong Itt Chew said when met after the swearing-in ceremony of the state exco members.
He also said that not having a MCA representative in the state exco did not mean that the other exco members would not look after the interests of the Chinese community.
On the call for MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to step down due to the party’s poor performance in the 13th general election, Chong said the Kedah MCA had no problem with the current party leadership and would continue to support him. — Bernama