KUANTAN: Five appointed assemblymen today took their oath of office before state assembly speaker Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin at Wisma Sri Pahang.
The swearing-in ceremony involved Pekan Tengku Ampuan Afzan Maahad Tahfiz founder Datuk Ahmad Irshadi Abdullah Al-Qadri, businessman Datuk Wong Tat Chee, lawyer Haris Salleh Hamzah, Syarie lawyer Mohd Fadzli Mohd Ramly and former banker Rizal Jamin.
All five of them read and signed the oath of office, and took their seats in the last row of the august house behind the Perikatan Nasional assemblymen.
Sharkar said the fresh appointments was to help expand the services provided by the Pahang government especially during the current challenging political and economic landscape.
"Congratulations to them and I hope their appointment will help to ensure a smooth state government administration," he said.
The elected representatives in the Pahang state assembly will increase from 42 to 47.
The Pahang assembly approved a motion to amend the state constitution in Nov 2020 to appoint five assemblymen without going through the election process.
The appointed assemblymen can take part in debates and have the right to vote, but are not eligible to be elected as menteri besar or state executive council members.
The motion to appoint the five assemblyman was tabled by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and passed by a majority vote on May 13 this year.
It was previously reported that Amanah would finally have a representative in the Pahang state assembly after Fadzli, who is the party's state chairman had been named one of the five appointed assemblymen.