Tuesday May 7, 2013

GE13: Mukhriz sworn in as Kedah MB

ALOR SETAR: Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has been sworn in as the 10th Kedah Mentri Besar.

Mukhriz, 49, took the oath of office at Istana Anak Bukit here yesterday in front of Kedah Council of Regency chairman Tan Sri Tunku Annuar Sultan Badlishah and council members Tan Sri Tunku Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah and Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Sultan Abdul Halim.

Also present were his parents, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Ali, as well as his wife Datin Norzieta Zakaria and the newly-elected representatives from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

Mukhriz, who is Kedah Barisan deputy chairman and Ayer Hitam assemblyman, took over from Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak of PAS after Barisan regained Kedah by winning 21 of the 36 state seats.

It is the second time that the son of a former prime minister was made a mentri besar in the country, after Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib, who is the son of second prime minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak, was appointed Pahang mentri besar from 1982 until 1986.

<b>Set to take charge:</b> Mukhriz being sworn in before Tunku Annuar at Istana Anak Bukit in Alor Setar. —Bernama

Set to take charge: Mukhriz being sworn in before Tunku Annuar at Istana Anak Bukit in Alor Setar. —Bernama

After the oath-taking ceremony, Mukhriz said he was prepared and willing to take the responsibility to lead the state government.

“However, I need some time, maybe until May 15, to decide on who will be appointed to the state executive council,” he said, adding that he needed to evaluate the capability and experience of the Barisan elect- ed representatives to know who was suitable,

Datuk Ahmad Yakob

In Kota Baru, Kelantan saw a change in mentri besar after more than 22 years when Datuk Ahmad Yakob was sworn in before the Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V here.

Ahmad, 63, a former deputy mentri besar for three terms, takes over from the long-serving Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

He will be announcing the portfolios of his state exco members, including for himself, soon.

The list does not include senior PAS member Datuk Husam Musa and Ahmad declined to comment on the matter.

His deputy is now state PAS commissioner II Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Abdullah, a cleric who hails from a family of ulama.

It is learnt that Nik Abdul Aziz is under strict doctor's orders to rest after campaigning during the just-concluded elections.

He also suffers from a host of ailments associated with old age.

Datuk Seri Musa Aman

In Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Barisan chief Datuk Seri Musa Aman said he will name his state Cabinet in a few days.

Earlier, he took his oath as Chief Minister for a third term before Sabah Governor Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.

Musa said he needed time to come up with a Cabinet that would represent a mix of the Barisan component parties that won in the recent polls.

For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site

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