By Deborah Loh
deborahloh@thenutgraph.com
Updated on 11 Feb 2009 at 12.43pm
Protesters gathered in front of the MB's residence a few days ago (File pic)
IPOH, 11 Feb 2009: Newly-appointed Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir has appointed three advisors to assist him in running the Barisan Nasional (BN)-led state government.
Speaking at a press conference after he and his newly-appointed state executive council (exco) members reported for work at the state secretariat building at 10am this morning, Zambry said the three advisors would have the same status as exco members.
They are (Rtd) Capt Datuk Najmuddin Elias Al-Hafiz who will assist the menteri besar in religious matters; Datuk Chang Ko Youn who will be advisor on Chinese Malaysian affairs; and Datuk S Veerasingam who will be the special advisor for Indian Malaysian community affairs.
Najmuddin was the political secretary to former Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali and is the Batu Kurau assemblyperson. Chang is Gerakan deputy president and Perak Gerakan chief while Veerasingam is MIC vice-president.
Veerasingam's appointment is seen as the solution to the lack of Indian Malaysian representation in the Perak BN government.
"This ends the issue of there being no Indian [Malaysian] elected representative," Veerasingam said.
Additionally, Zambry appointed Datuk Hamdi Abu Bakar as the state information chief. Hamdi is responsible for disseminating information from the state to citizens.
In an immediate response, embattled Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the appointment of Chang and Veerasingam as advisors with exco standing was illegal and an abuse of power and public funds because they were not elected representatives.
"The Perak state constitution also does not provide for such appointments," he said.
Portfolios
Zambry also confirmed the portfolios for himself and the six exco members who were sworn in yesterday before Perak Ruler, Sultan Azlan Shah.
They are as follows:
Zambry - housing, planning, economy, finance, safety, land, resources, agriculture and religion
Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid — education, higher education, science and technology
Zainol Fadzi Paharudin — art, culture, youth and sport
Datuk Ramly Zahari — infrastructure, public amenities, water and energy
Dr Mah Hang Soon — health, local government, consumer affairs, environment, public transport and non-Muslim affairs
Hamidah Osman — industry, investments, entrepreneur development, ICT, tourism and women affairs
Datuk Saarani Mohamad — rural development, poverty eradication, commodities and welfare
The six exco who were sworn in yesterday were four shy of the ten exco positions that were filled up under the Pakatan Rakyat. Hence, Zambry's appointment of advisors is seen as a way to shore up his administration.
No emergency sitting
Zambry deflected questions about whether he would call for an emergency sitting of the state assembly so that a vote could be taken to determine who had the most support of the house, hence ending the political impasse.
"Under the law, we only have to convene the state assembly six months from the previous one," he said.
That means the state assembly will next meet in April.
Chang was, however, more direct. "Why should we do that (call for an emergency sitting)? Why should we take a vote? Nizar is already out (because the Sultan has already decided)."
On 7 Feb, state assembly Speaker V Sivakumar, from the DAP, submitted two letters to Sultan Azlan Shah seeking permission to convene an emergency sitting so that the house could show through a vote who it most supported.
It is, however, unlikely that the Sultan will now grant that request.
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