JOHOR BARU, April 10 — It is hoped the appointment of the Johor mentri besar can be made as soon as possible to preserve the stability of the state administration, said Johor State Legislative Assembly Speaker Suhaizan Kayat.
“Usually it (the appointment process) is fast because it involves the stability of the state, but the best would be one week,” he said.
Suhaizan, who is also the vice-president of Amanah Johor, said currently the state government administration was still functioning as usual.
Meanwhile, he said there was no necessity for the Johor State Legislative Assembly to be dissolved as the existing state government was not even one year old, he added.
“We only need to replace the mentri besar (Datuk Osman Sapian) who has merely resigned,” he said when contacted by Bernama, here today.
He said this when commenting on the running of the state government administration and the suggestion by the opposition that wanted the State Assembly to be dissolved to make way for the election of a new leadership.
Suhaizan said whoever was made the new Mentri Besar, the State Assembly would not have any problem in working together.
Today, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government was scrutinising several names to be appointed as the Acting Johor mentri besar.
The announcement on the acting Johor mentri besar would be made as soon as possible, he added.
Yesterday, Dr Mahathir had announced Osman’s resignation as the Johor mentri besar beginning Monday (April 8).
Meanwhile State Exco for Health, Environment and Agriculture Dr Sahruddin Jamal said the state government was still functioning as usual in the absence of the mentri besar.
At the same time, Dr Mahathir and the Sultan of Johor were constantly monitoring and concerned about the situation occurring in Johor.
“All the Excos are still around, administrative officers of the Johor State Government led by Datuk SS (State Secretary Datuk Azmi Rohani) is also there. Insya Allah (God willing) everything will run as usual,” he told Bernama, here today.
Dr Sahruddin, who is the State Assemblyman for Bukit Kepong, said the absence of the mentri besar was only temporary and was confident that a replacement would be appointed shortly. — Bernama
