Mukhriz holds closed-door meeting with BN reps

By EMBUN MAJID
embun@thestar.com.my

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).

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