Bersatu’s Kuala Perlis assemblyman Abu Bakar Hamzah sworn in as new menteri besar of Perlis

Kuala Perlis assemblyman Abu Bakar Hamzah was sworn in as the new Menteri Besar of Perlis at Istana Arau here today.

Abu Bakar, 57, took his oath of office before the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, at 4.04pm.

Abu Bakar is Perlis Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy chairman and State Bersatu Chief.

He won the Kuala Perlis seat in the 15th General Election with a majority of 1,254 votes.

He succeeds Mohd Shukri Ramli, who stepped down from his post on Thursday (Dec 25) due to health reasons.

Abu Bakar was appointed to the state executive council following a reshuffle in November last year, during which he was entrusted with the Tourism, Arts and Culture as well as Rural Development portfolios.

In the reshuffle, Abu Bakar was among three state assemblymen appointed as new executive councillors, replacing two incumbents who were dropped.

Although the swearing-in ceremony was scheduled for 1 pm, it was delayed until the late afternoon.

Police personnel were also stationed at the main entrance of the palace as well as at several junctions along the main routes leading to Istana Arau.

On Dec 25, Perlis State Assembly Speaker Rus’sele Eizan announced unexpected vacancies for the Chuping, Bintong and Guar Sanji seats in accordance with Clause (1)(a)(ii) of Article 50A of the Perlis State Constitution.

The vacancies arose after PAS announced on Dec 24 that the party membership of three of its assemblymen — Saad Seman (Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji) — had been terminated following their alleged move to withdraw support for Mohd Shukri.

In the 15th General Election, Perikatan Nasional (PN) Perlis won 14 of the 15 state assembly seats, with PAS securing nine seats and Bersatu five, while Pakatan Harapan (PH), through PKR, won the remaining seat.

Meanwhile, Perlis State Secretary Datuk Rahimi Ismail said Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin had consented to appoint Abu Bakar as the new Menteri Besar.

In a statement, he said the appointment was made in accordance with Articles 37 and 39 of the Perlis State Constitution.