KUALA PILAH: Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim will lead three major portfolios in the state government administration for the 2026-2031 term, including Islamic Religious Affairs and Security; Finance, Land and Natural Resources; and Investment, Infrastructure, Utilities, Communications and Felda.
The Juasseh state assemblyman also announced the appointment of ten State Government Councillors, including retaining two Exco members, namely Datuk Mohd Faizal Ramli (Linggi) and Mustapha Nagoor (Palong).
Mohd Faizal was appointed as the Rural Development and Regional Development Exco, while Mustapha will retain his old portfolio as the Youth and Sports Development Exco.
Ismail said the Exco members were reminded to shoulder the trust given with full responsibility because the task of administering the state requires commitment and determination to ensure that the welfare and interests of the people are maintained.
"I am confident and believe that all ranks are pleased with the Tuanku (Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir) understanding how great our responsibility is to maintain harmony and progress of Negri Sembilan.
"It is more important to ensure the well-being of the people who have given us their votes and confidence," he said.
Meanwhile, he said his party would appoint an officer from the Indian community with Exco status under the Mentri Besar's Office to ensure that the community also has a role in the state government administration.
"This is to give opportunities to various races (in the state government)...the representative is from MIC and the name of the candidate has been submitted by the party...when appointed) we will decide later in the Exco meeting," he said, adding that there was no need to appoint a deputy Exco.
He said the state government was also considering the appointment of a representative of the Orang Asli community in the administration and would refer to the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) to find a suitable candidate.
On Friday (Aug 7) morning, all the Exco members were sworn in before the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir at Istana Besar Seri Menanti here.
Also included in the new Exco line-up are Datuk Zaifulbahri Idris (Chembong) holding the Education, Higher Education and Human Capital portfolio, Siow Kong Choon (Chennah) as the Local Government Development, Housing and Non-Muslim Affairs Exco.
Labu assemblyman Siti Nur Umaira Hasim, holding the Women, Family and Community Development portfolio, Datuk Mohd Asna Amin (Lenggeng) was appointed as the Industry, Technology, Innovation and Digital Exco, while Datuk Mohd Razi Mohd Ali (Sungai Lui) was appointed as the Agriculture, Food Security and Cost of Living Exco.
Suhaimizan Bizar (Gemencheh) was appointed as the Health, Unity, Information, National Integration and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Exco.
Meanwhile, the Perikatan Nasional, through Mohd Fairuz Mohd Isa (Serting), holds the portfolio of Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Climate Change, Cooperatives and Consumerism) and Datuk Razali Abu Samah (Sikamat) was appointed as the Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Exco).
The results of the 16th Negri Sembilan State Election saw Barisan Nasional won 18 State Legislative Assembly seats while Perikatan won seven seats, thus enabling the two coalitions to form the state government with a two-thirds majority. — Bernama
