Friendly and warm, lawyer Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif said she would be managing the secretariat, which would be carrying out research and preparing material for Opposition assemblymen to generate succinct debates and questions at Selangor state assembly sittings.
Later in the day, Opposition chief Datuk Seri Azmin Ali announced the formation of the secretariat as well as that Perikatan elected representatives, comprising Bersatu and PAS, had formed a shadow exco line-up.
“We at the Opposition bloc make a significant number and hence, we are determined to ensure all our representatives play effective roles to ascertain that the voice of the people is clearly heard,” Azmin had said.
Azmin and his two proteges, Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin and Gombak Setia assemblyman Hilman Idham, as well as Permatang assemblyman Nurul Syazwani Noh, who is the daughter of formidable former Tanjong Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar, are among those in the Opposition’s shadow exco line-up.
All of them, including Azmin, are from Bersatu.
It is also interesting to note that the shadow exco line-up had sieved off some of the areas of coverage from the respective portfolios, and concentrated only on high-profile zones.
For example, Dr Afif will only shadow public health, environment and climate change zones while the actual portfolio, held by Pakatan Harapan’s DAP assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaluddin, also includes green technology in addition to public health, environment and climate change.
Although it is not yet known how the shadow exco line-up will function, one can be sure it will be a very loud and noisy affair.
The Selangor state assembly also promises to be livelier, with more action, after five years of almost very smooth proceedings due to a weak and minuscule Opposition following the 2018 general election where Pakatan Harapan enjoyed a landslide victory in Selangor.
Even the defection of a few PKR members after the 2020 Sheraton Move could not do much to dampen the strength of the Pakatan in the state assembly.
The last five years in Selangor was almost reminiscent of the era before the 2008 General Election, when there were only two Opposition members – DAP’s Datuk Teng Chang Khim and his party counterpart Ng Suee Lim – while the rest of the state assembly was made up of Barisan Nasional assemblymen.
Having covered proceedings during that era, I recall short sittings that ended with little or no dissent, although the two Opposition assemblymen worked very hard to question and challenge the then state government.
The most spine-chilling occurrence during that time was perhaps when Teng was suspended for 30 months, with loss of allowance for 18 months of the suspension period, in 2005.
But after the 2008 elections, the entire situation changed.
The Selangor state assembly became alive and remained so for two terms until the 2018 General Election, after which the Opposition was rendered almost voiceless.
The situation has since changed with the state assembly now having 22 Opposition members – 12 from Bersatu and 10 from PAS – all ready as well as prepared to heckle and pounce on the state government representatives.
One could easily guess what was in store when Azmin walked into the state assembly’s annexe building flanked by Dr Afif and Hilman – all three are known to be very vocal with the ability of holding down an argument well – after the swearing in ceremony.
Dr Afif also has experience as executive councillor in charge of health, when he was in Penang government prior to the Sheraton Move and before ditching PKR and moving on to Bersatu with his political mentor Azmin.
Hopefully, the soft-spoken and demure Jamaliah will make herself Dr Afif-proof, given that he is her Opposition shadow in the exco line-up, by being on top of the game with necessary information at her fingertips at all times.
The state government’s exco members must also take a crash course in crisis management and be reachable day and night to answer queries from newsmen, as sources claim that media accessibility is one of the areas the Opposition’s shadow exco members will look into.
Media members can also expect Sasha Lyna, who has already broken the ice and made friends with newsmen covering the state assembly, working very hard to push for the voice of the Opposition assemblymen to be heard with regard to every issue and matter discussed and debated in the state assembly.
In the past, it was not easy to get hold of some state exco members for immediate reaction concerning matters relevant to their portfolios.
Most would keep mum and more often than not, statements issued would come way past press time.
One of the few exco members who was accessible and would post-up feedback quickly was Teng, who unfortunately, did not contest in the state polls and has retired from active politics.
Now that they are going to have a bloated Opposition breathing down their necks, it is time for state exco members to change their modus operandi and be more accessible to the media, because if they don’t, it is highly likely their shadows will be the ones stealing the limelight.
The next five years is also very crucial for Pakatan as well as the Opposition in Selangor, as this is the window period that will chart the state’s political direction and outcome in the next general election which will take place by 2028.
Time flies. I still feel as if it was only recently that I went agape in shock at the counting centre in Hulu Selangor during the 2008 polls, after learning that Barisan giants had been toppled and that Selangor had fallen into Opposition hands.
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