ALOR SETAR, July 4 — Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir thanked three Barisan Nasional state assemblymen if it was true that they gave their votes to enable a Speaker from Pakatan Harapan (PH) to be appointed at the State Assembly sitting today.

He said this was because the election process was carried out secretly via a draw on paper which was placed in a box before being counted by the secretary of the State Assembly.

"So, we cannot say who among the opposition gave three more votes to allow the candidate from PH to be appointed today ... could have been from PAS? But if it is true as said (BN elected representatives’ votes), I thank them (BN assemblyman), "he said.

At the First Meeting of the First Session of the Kedah State Assembly today, Datuk Ahmad Kasim was appointed Speaker of the State Assembly when he won 21 votes to beat state PAS commissioner Dr Ahmad Fakhruddin Sheikh Fakhrurazi who won 15 votes.

Ayer Hangat State Assemblyman Juhari Bulat was appointed Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly.

The appointment of the Kedah State Assembly Speaker had previously encountered a problem as the number of seats on both sides were the same, namely, 18 seats, resulting in the issue of a state by-election to resolve the crisis.

It is learned that three BN assemblymen Datuk Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail (Guar Chempedak), Datuk Norsabrina Mohd Noor (Bandar Baharu) and Datuk Suraya Yaacob (Sungai Tiang) who acted as ‘kingmakers’, supported the candidate from the government.

Mukhriz, however, admitted that there was a bit of negotiations with the three BN assemblymen regarding the appointment of the Speaker.

The Mentri Besar also confirmed that the reshuffle of the state executive council (exco) portfolios would be coordinated with the federal ministries as the prime minister has announced the latest Cabinet list.

"This is to ensure the case, when we had to send more than one exco after a ministry committee invited a state representative, does not take place,” he said.

On the vacancy of an exco post when Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah was appointed Deputy Finance Minister, he said that he needed a little more time because he had to inform the Sultan of Kedah Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah on the matter. — Bernama