BN likely to get first Selangor exco seat in 15 years

 

The Selangor state assembly will comprise 34 representatives from Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional and 22 from Perikatan Nasional. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Fifteen years since losing the state in the 2008 general election, Barisan Nasional (BN) is likely to get an exco seat in Selangor.

This is despite the coalition, represented by Umno, having managed to win only two of the 12 seats it contested in the state compared with the 32 seats won by Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Sources said the move by PH is to show that there is “true unity” in practice and not mere rhetoric, with the two coalitions having contested as a pact, another first, in the recent state elections.

According to sources, omitting BN would be detrimental to the state unity government, which has been severely dented after losing 22 of the 37 Malay majority seats to Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Of the 32 PH seats, 15 were won by DAP, PKR captured 12 and Amanah five.

One source said the last state cabinet had 11 exco members, including then menteri besar Amirudin Shari.

There were six from PKR, three from DAP and two from Amanah. In addition, DAP was also given the state assembly speaker’s post.

“PH’s Amanah candidates won only five seats this time compared with eight previously, while the number of seats under PKR dropped from 21 to 12.

“It is most likely that one of their exco posts will be given to BN this time,” the source said.

Another source said DAP had three exco positions and the speaker’s post in the previous government, and it was looking likely to be the same this time round, but the decision is not final.

“The exco composition among the PH parties during the last term worked very well. However, the exco will obviously continue to be made up of mostly Malay assemblymen, although there are more non-Malays (from PH),” he said.

Meanwhile, the source said Amirudin will most likely be sworn in as the menteri besar on Saturday as promised by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the PH chairman.

“A news portal has speculated that he may be replaced but as for now, he is the number one contender. The government will look bad if it goes back on its election promise.”

He said this will happen after the sultan of Selangor consents to his appointment.

DAP had earlier announced that BN will also be given one seat in Penang, despite Umno winning only two seats in the state polls. - FMT