JOHOR BARU, April 22 — Three new Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) assemblymen will be appointed to the state’s executive council to replace two who were dropped and fill a newly-shaped portfolio, according to sources.
The Johor state executive council will also see some movement and the renaming of several portfolios, all of which will be announced later today.
An informed PH source said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) Tenang assemblyman Mohd Solihan Badri will take over the Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation Committee from Puteri Wangsa assemblyman Mazlan Bujang.
He added that DAP’s Jementah assemblyman, Tan Chen Choon, will helm the newly-crafted Local Government, Urban Wellbeing and Environment Committee, which Skudai assemblyman Tan Hong Pin held in its previous guise.
“Both portfolios are considered senior exco positions and were earlier given to their respective parties, namely PPBM and DAP, to be nominated,” the source told Malay Mail this morning.
The source also said PPBM’s Bukit Permai assemblyman Tosrin Jarvanthi was confirmed for the new Religious Affairs, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.
“The three assemblymen are scheduled to take their oaths of office at the Istana Bukit Serene today.
“They will later join new Johor Mentri Besar Dr Sahruddin Jamal and the other members of the state executive council in the state administrative capital in Kota Iskandar later,” said the source.
Another source also familiar with the reshuffle of the state government’s line-up said there will be 10 portfolios excluding those under Dr Sahruddin, which is land, forest and mineral resources that is traditionally under the mentri besar.
A list made available to Malay Mail showed the portfolios and their holders as follows:
1. Aminolhuda Hassan (Amanah-Parit Yaani) Education, Human Resource, Science and Technology
2. Dzulkefly Ahmad (Amanah-Kota Iskandar) Housing, Communication and Multimedia
3. Liow Cai Tung (DAP-Johor Jaya) Health, Women Development, Family and Community
4. Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (PKR-Bukit Batu) International Trade, Investment and Utility
5. Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar (PKR-Semerah) Tourism, Culture and Heritage
6. S. Ramakrishnan (DAP-Bekok) Unity, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
7. Sheikh ‘Umar Bagharib Ali (DAP-Paloh) Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives
8. Tosrin Jarvanthi (PPBM-Bukit Permai) Religious Affairs, Agriculture and Rural Development
9. Tan Chen Choon (DAP-Jementah) Local Government, Urban Wellbeing and Environment
10. Mohd Solihan Badri (PPBM-Tenang) Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation
The source said the list gave DAP the majority of four state executive council positions, followed by PPBM, PKR and Amanah with two each.
“For Johor, the mentri besar is from PPBM as per the agreed arrangement under PH.
“The reshuffled state executive council reflects a better and streamlined administration.
“This is believed to be the new direction that will be taken by Dr Sahruddin as he leads the state government for the coming years,” said the source.
Dr Sahruddin is expected to announce the new line-up at a media conference at the Johor Mentri Besar’s Office later this afternoon.
