ARAU: Perlis Bersatu chairman Abu Bakar Hamzah has been appointed as a state executive councillor, while two other party representatives have been dropped in a reshuffle exercise.
The Kuala Perlis assemblyman and Bersatu Sena assemblywoman Datin Marzita Mansor were among the three Perikatan Nasional elected representatives that took the oath of office before the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail at Arau Istana today.
Present were Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli.
The third assemblyman that made it into the state exco lineup is Pas Guar Sanji assemblyman Mohd Ridzuan Hashim.
The latest state cabinet reshuffle saw two Bersatu assemblymen Wan Zikri Afthar Ishak (Tambun Tulang) and Megat Hashirat Hassan (Pauh) being dropped from the lineup.
Zikri held the youth and sports, small and medium industry development, entrepreneurship and creative economic empowerment portfolios, while Hashirat oversaw the health, welfare and disaster management, science, technology, innovation and green technology, environment, and unity portfolios.
In his royal address, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin reminded the exco members to double their efforts in accelerating the state's development, which has been perceived as lagging compared to other states.
"The current exco members must work harder to bring development to the state, which is seen as slower compared to others. This is not acceptable, as Perlis is a small state, and the members of the state council must strive to bring progress for the welfare of the people," he ordered.