ALOR SETAR: Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir met the other 20 elected Barisan Nasional representatives at a closed-door meeting here ahead of announcing his exco line-up on Wednesday.

Present at the meeting were two from MCA: Dr Leong Yong Kong (Gurun) and Chua Thiong Gee (Kulim).

There was no representative from MIC.

Mukhriz is expected to name eight representatives in the state exco.

In the absence of MIC and MCA (since the party is adamant not to accept any government post following its dismal show in GE13), he may set up two special posts for the Indian and Chinese communities.

However, those who attended the meeting at the Mentri Besar's office in Wisma Darulaman here yesterday were tight-lipped about the discussions that were held.

“The media will have to wait till Wednesday to know who is in the line-up,” said Sungai Tiang assemblyman Datuk Suraya Yaacob.

She is expected to be one of the two women who will be in the Kedah line-up in the rebranded team under Mukhriz.

The other is first-term assemblyman Datin Norsabrina Mohd Nor of Bandar Baharu.

Datuk Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ibrahim (Guar Chempedak) is expected to be made a senior executive councillor, making him the second person-in-charge after Mukh-riz.

Ku Abdul Rahman, it is learned, will also be given the Industry portfolio.

Also expected to be in the line-up are Ayer Hangat assemblyman Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid, who is likely to chair the Islamic Affairs Committee, and Datuk Tajuddin Abdullah, from Belantek, who might helm the Rural Development Committee.

Besides Norsabrina, first-time assemblymen expected to be drawn into the state exco are Aminuddin Omar (Jitra), Datuk Tajul Urus Mat Zain (Tanjung Dawai) and Badrol Hisham Hashim (Kuala Nerang).

Aminuddin may be given the Youth and Sports portfolio, Badrol Hisham the Housing and Local Government portfolio, and Tajul the Education portfolio.

In the just-concluded GE13, Barisan won 21 of the 36 seats in Kedah.

The other seats are divided among PAS (nine), PKR (four) and DAP (two).

• Dollar rise hits oil, gold; euro sags on ECB cut bets
• Scomi Group secures RM98.5m Turkmenistan contract
• KLCI at fresh record close, on fund buying of banks, Tenaga
• Puncak Niaga to issue warrants, raise RM165m Sukuk
• Moody's: Core Chinese shadow banking products total 21 trillion renminbi
• I-Bhd, Thailand's Central Pattana to build shopping mall in iCity
• MISC falls in active trade
• Firm dollar hits oil, gold, shares; Nikkei scales new peak
• Allianz targets RM150m new business premiums this year
• Mah Sing's Meridin@Medini records pre-selection of RM261m (Update)
• Samsung racing towards downloading a whole movie in one second through super-fast 5G
• KLCI up nearly 14pts at midday (Update)
• RAM Ratings ups Menara ABS’s Sukuk outlook to stable
• Leon Fuat to raise RM35.58m from share sale (Update)
• AirAsia X eyes up to US$300m Malaysia IPO - term sheet

• Taiwanese fishermen burn Filipino flags in protest
• Yemen army jet crashes in Sanaa, pilot killed
• US scientist depressed and left suicide notes, Singapore public inquiry told
• Philippines holds elections vital for Aquino reforms
• Samsung announces 5G data breakthrough
• Police in US arrest 12-year-old for sister's murder
• Warming to hit half of plants, a third of animals
• 17 people shot at New Orleans parade: report

• Woods wins Players Championship
• Silver lining in Fort Lauderdale for Pandelela-Mun Yee
• Affendi ruled out with nerve injury
• Hubbard leads hot Dragons to another easy win
• Teenager Praveen a Clearcut winner at Bukit Kiara
• Shalin wants more victories before calling it a day next year
• Puvendran upsets top seed Alwin in U-17 final
• Second title for Ramdan in Europe
• Coach wants badminton doubles pairs to be battle ready
• Milo aim to go even further in developing Malaysian sports
• KLHC-Tenaga showdown once again
• Argentina and South Africa to play in Johor Baru
• Serena sweeps aside Sharapova to retain Madrid crown
• Nadal wins Madrid title for fifth triumph this year
• Maria confirms romance with Bulgarian Dimitrov

• Please wait.

• New SARS-like virus can probably pass person-to-person
• Nurul Izzah says not eyeing PKR presidency when mum steps down
• Coronavirus epidemic awaits, not certain to be severe - discoverer
• Merkel says has no secrets about her communist past
• Appeals court frees six backers of black-clad Egypt protest group
• Scomi Group secures RM98.5m Turkmenistan contract
• Who will be the new IGP?
• Italy's Letta urges ministers to avoid clashing in public
• Greek state workers to strike against teachers' walkout ban
• Brothers of Cleveland kidnap suspect say he was aloof for years - CNN