JOHOR BARU: MCA is allocated one seat in the new state executive council line-up in accordance with the special request made by Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar to have a Chinese representative.

MCA national organising secretary Datuk Tee Siew Kiong (pix), who is also Pulai Sebatang assemblyman, is expected to be sworn in Tuesday together with other exco and new Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Sultan Ibrahim had expressed his wish to have a Chinese representative to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during an audience here recently.

Johor Royal Council secretary Datuk Rahim Ramlee said when contacted that it is the absolute power of the Johor Sultan to appoint the Mentri Besar together with the exco members.

“This ruling is under the 1895 Johor state constitution which has been practised for hundreds of years.

“Only the Johor Sultan has the right to appoint anyone whom he deems fit to carry out the responsibility as lawmakers in the state,” he told The Star when contacted.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held at the Bangunan Sultan Ibrahim at Bukit Timbalan at 9am on Tuesday

Traditionally, MCA is allocated two seats under the formula 7:2:1 where Umno gets the lion share with MCA and MIC getting two seats and one place respectively.

Prior to the election, former Bekok assemblyman Tan Kok Hong and former Paloh assemblyman Datuk Hoo Seong Chang held the two MCA seats.

Tan was the International Trade, Industry, Energy, Water, Communications and Environment Committee chairman while Hoo was the Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman.

Gambir assemblyman M. Asojan, who was the previous state Unity, Human Resource, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman, is dropped and replaced by Kahang assemblyman R. Vidyananthan.

Mahkota assemblyman Md Jais Sarday and Johor Lama assemblywoman Asiah Ariff are the only two former excos retained in the new line up.

The new faces in the line up are Datuk Hasni Mohammad (Benut), Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim (Layang-Layang), Abd Latiff Bandi (Endau), Mohd Ismail Roslan (Semerah), and Datuk Zulkurnain Kamisan (Sri Medan).

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