Friday May 10, 2013

GE13: Mohamad, Ahmad and Adnan get another term as MB in their respective states

The MBs: (From left) Mohamad, Ahmad and Adnan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Three state Barisan Nasional chiefs have been reappointed as the mentris besar.

In Seremban, state Barisan chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was reappointed as Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar for a third term.

Mohamad, who turned 57 on May 2, will be sworn in before state ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir at the Istana Besar Seri Menanti tomorrow.

Yesterday, Mohamad had an audience with Tuanku Muhriz at around noon at Istana Hinggap here where he was presented with the appointment letter. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had called on the state ruler earlier in the morning.

Speaking to reporters later, Mohamad said there was no provision in the Laws of the Constitution of Negri Sembilan 1959 to allow for the appointment of a Chinese representative into the 10-man state exco line-up by the Mentri Besar.

“It is not like the federal level where the Prime Minister has the discretion to appoint a minister or deputy minister by first making the person a senator. In Negri Sembilan, one can only be appointed to the state exco after he or she has won an election,” he said, adding that although he respected the move by several MCA councillors to resign, he hoped that they would not act in haste.

“The Chinese or any other community will never be neglected despite MCA's and Gerakan's poor showing. Our policies are for all, irrespective of race or religion,” he said.

In Kuala Terengganu, Kijal assemblyman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said was reappointed as Mentri Besar for a second term after receiving the consent of Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

He is expected to be sworn in over the next few days together with the new state exco members who are yet to be appointed.

Ahmad, 56, sought an audience with Sultan Mizan at Istana Badariah at 2.45pm yesterday to present the letter of appointment from Najib.

“I have already identified the exco members and they will be made known at the ceremony,” he said at his official residence yesterday.

The state, he said, would also not set up a special body to oversee Chinese community affairs after MCA's Datuk Toh Chin Yaw, Barisan's sole Chinese representative in the previous state exco line-up, lost in the general election.

“Since the Chinese community were well aware that he (Toh) is their only candidate and yet still chose not to elect him, then I guess they do not want a representative,” said Ahmad.

In Kuantan, Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob was sworn in as Pahang Mentri Besar for the fourth term at Istana Abu Bakar here, taking his oath of office before the Sultan of Pahang at about 5pm.

Adnan, 63, took over the post from Tun Khalil Yaakob on May 25, 1999.

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