Selangor exco: Five non-Malays?

Mar 21, 08 1:00pm

Selangor's 10-member state executive council looks likely to open a new historical chapter with half of its lineup being non-Malays.

Malaysiakini has learnt that Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim has submitted the final list of state exco members to the palace this morning.

Of the 10 executive councillors, PKR will have four posts, DAP (3) and PAS (3).

It is understood that PKR have been allocated four exco positions in which two members - Dr Xavier Jayakumar (Seri Andalas - right) and Elizabeth Wong (Bukit Lanjan) - are non-Malays.

Three more non-Malays in the list are Ronnie Liu (Pandamaran), Teresa Kok (Kinrara) and Ean Yong Hian Hua (Seri Kembangan) from DAP.

Earlier, it was reported that the palace would prefer that there be a minimum six Malay exco members, to reflect the state’s racial composition, but would however accept an exco with five Malays and five non-Malays.

Four women in exco

Two Malays expected to represent PKR in the exco are Yaakob Sapari (Kota Angerik) and Rodziah Ismail (Batu Tiga).

PAS, which has been given three exco positions, is expected to be represented by Dr Hassan Ali (Gombak Setia), Dr Halimah Ali (Selat Kelang) and Iskandar Abdul Samad (Cempaka).

The swearing-in for the state exco members is expected to take place on Monday. A rehearsal to take place later this afternoon.

Based on this line-up, Selangor will for the first time in history, have four women in the state exco. The last exco lineup had only one woman.

The exco line-up however, is expected to be without veteran Selangor opposition leader Teng Chang Kim (right) who is the most experienced member in the Selangor legislature.

Teng had served as state assembly opposition leader since 1995 when he won the Bukit Gasing seat.

In 1999, he was elected Bandar Kelang assemblyperson and later the Sungai Pinang assemblyperson in 2004. During the recent general election he retained the Sungai Pinang seat with a higher majority.

It is learnt that Teng will be made speaker of the state assembly. However, this will require prior approval from the Selangor sultan.

It is also not clear whether Khalid will be naming either one or two deputy mentri besars, if at all.

The sultan has expressed his wish to see a Malay deputy MB, while predominantly Chinese DAP - being the second biggest party after PKR - is pressing for its representative to be picked as Khalid's deputy.