The Negeri Sembilan government is considering creating Deputy Executive Councillor (Deputy Exco) positions for selected portfolios as part of efforts to strengthen the state administration.
Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim said the state executive council would comprise assemblymen from the ruling coalition, including Barisan Nasional (BN), PAS and Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan).
He said the proposed Deputy Exco positions would allow more elected representatives to contribute to the state administration, as not all assemblymen could be appointed to the Exco.
“We may not be able to appoint everyone to the Exco, so we are considering creating Deputy Exco positions for several portfolios that I believe are important,” he told reporters at Wisma Negeri on Tuesday.
Ismail described the proposal as a new approach to state governance but said the number of Deputy Exco appointments has yet to be finalised.
He added that a decision on the appointment of a Senior Exco has also not been made, despite provisions allowing for the position.
According to Ismail, the new Negeri Sembilan Exco line-up is expected to be announced as early as Friday, or by next Monday at the latest.
Earlier on Tuesday, the 67-year-old officially began his first day as Menteri Besar at Wisma Negeri, where he was welcomed by State Secretary Datuk Mohd Zafir Ibrahim and heads of government departments.
Ismail, who won the Juasseh state seat in the Negeri Sembilan state election, was sworn in as Menteri Besar before Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir on Sunday.
In the state election, Barisan Nasional won 18 of the 36 seats, while Perikatan Nasional secured seven seats, giving the ruling coalition a two-thirds majority to form the state government.
