No talks on state govt post, says Reezal Merican

 

Reezal Merican Naina Merican celebrating his victory in the Bertam seat after the results were announced last night. With him is his wife Ismalina Ismail. (Bernama pic)

KEPALA BATAS: Bertam assemblyman Reezal Merican Naina Merican has not held discussion with any parties on his participation in the formation of the Penang state government.

The Umno Supreme Council member said he would leave it completely to the party top leadership and the unity government to decide on the matter.

“Not yet (discuss), not with any leadership in the state. I have spoken to some party leaders but that is all. We have not gone any further on anything,” he said when met by Bernama while greeting members of the local community here.

In the Penang state elections yesterday, Reezal Merican won with a majority of 2,321 votes. He obtained 10,453 votes to defeat the previous incumbent Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq of Perikatan Nasional who received 8,132 votes in a straight fight to seize back the Bertam seat.

In Penang, the Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional coalition will set up a unity government after winning with a two-thirds majority by securing 29 of the 40 seats in the state assembly.

DAP won all 19 seats it contested while PKR took seven, Amanah one and BN two from the 40 seats in the Penang state assembly.

Meanwhile, Reezal Merican who was the former housing and local government minister described his victory in Bertam as redeeming his loss in the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat in the 15th general election. - FMT