Saarani to be sworn in as Perak MB at 5.30pm

IPOH: Kota Tampan assemblyperson Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad is expected to be sworn in as Perak Menteri Besar at the Iskandariah Palace in Kuala Kangsar at 5.30 pm on Monday.

This is according to Senator, Tan Sri Anuar Zaini who spoke to members of the media at Istana Kinta earlier today.

According to him, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) have submitted the names of 33 assemblypersons showing support for the coalition to Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.

He added that to be fair, Sultan Nazrin has given consent for Perak Perikatan Nasional (PN) Deputy Chairman, Razman Zakaria and Perak PN Secretary, Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin to meet him.

Both PN representatives admitted that they do not have the majority support to form a state government.

"Because PN representatives did not object to, or admit they have the numbers, hence His Highness is pleased with what was offered by BN and PH.

"They only submitted one name to be the Menteri Besar, that is Kota Tampan assemblyperson, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

"After a common understanding of both parties with PN also accepting this, His Highness has consented for the swearing in ceremony to be held at 5.30 pm at Iskandariah Palace, Kuala Kangsar today," said Anuar.

In the 15th general elections (GE15), PN was the coalition to gain the biggest majority with 26 state assembly seats, while PH attained 24 seats and BN nine seats.

A coalition requires at least 30 seats to form a government in the Perak state legislative assembly, which has a total of 59 seats.

The results of GE15 saw Perikatan Nasional winning 26 seats while PH took 24 seats and nine were won by BN.

Before this, the Perak state government was formed with the coalition of three parties namely BN, Bersatu and PAS.

Saarani, who is the Perak BN and Perak UMNO chairman, has been the Kota Tampan assemblyman since 2004 and was appointed as the 14th Menteri Besar of Perak on Dec 10, 2020.

He has served as the opposition leader in the Perak State Assembly from 2018 to 2020.

-- BERNAMA