GE15: Perlis first Pas MB sworn in today
ARAU - The newly-minted Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli says the position is a responsibility entrusted by the people to him and therefore intends to carry out his duties properly.
The Perlis Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman said he and his peers who were elected by the people in the 15th General Election (GE15) would work hard to implement their party's manifesto of building a clean and stable government to give rise to a 'New Perlis'.
"Changes especially in terms of economic and human resource development as promised in the PN manifesto will be implemented in stages as we cannot do it drastically," he told Bernama here today.
Shukri was sworn in as the new Menteri Besar before Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Green Room in Istana Arau, earlier today.
Shukri, 61, who is more popularly known as 'Cikgu Shukri', expressed his gratitude to the Perlis people for giving their mandate to PN in the polls.
The state PAS commissioner who joined the party in 1990, also said that he hoped the people could give some time to the new state government to bring about changes.
Wasting no time, Shukri said he wanted to meet with the state's senior government officials to discuss what needs to be done to safeguard the welfare of the people, in addition to holding a special ceremony to honour the contributions, services and sacrifices of the leaders of the previous government, namely the Barisan Nasional (BN), especially the former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man and the state executive council members.
Shukri said he would fully utilise his experience as a three-term assemblyman for the Sanglang state constituency and as a teacher for 28 years to help him carry out his new responsibility.
When asked about the appointment of the new state government exco members, he said: "Roughly, I have outlined that six of the exco members will be appointed from PAS assemblymen and three more from Bersatu and this matter will be brought up at the Perlis PN meeting that will be held soon."
PN managed to form the state government after winning 14 out of 15 State Legislative Assembly seats in addition to securing three parliamentary seats namely Padang Besar, Arau and Kangar in GE15.
Meanwhile, Shukri's wife Najwah Othman, 53, said she was shocked when told that her husband would be appointed as the new Perlis Menteri Besar.
"I only found out about it early this morning, and that was when he asked me to prepare black Baju Melayu, songkok and sampin," she said when met today.
The housewife said her husband did not inform any of their family members about the appointment.
She said they would always support Shukri so that he could carry out his duties well for the Perlis people.
From teacher to Perlis MB
Shukri, fondly called 'Cikgu Shukri', holds a Diploma in Education from Rajang Teachers' Training Institute, Sarawak and received his early education at Sekolah Rendah Dato' Ahmad Musa Sungai Padang, Perlis.
He was a teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Beraya and Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulo in Miri and Kuching, Sarawak, for 28 years before returning to Perlis in 1990 to Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Keria, Simpang Empat.
Among the careers in politics that he still holds include chair of the Perlis State Audit Committee (PAC), co-chair of the National Mufakat, head of the Information Department of PAS Perlis and Sanglang state assemblyman for three consecutive terms since 2013.
Shukri is also active in NGO and community service activities. He is a patron of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Komuniti Arau (PEKA), Sanglang Care (patron), and the manager of Pasti Lukmanul Hakim, Sungai Padang.
In the 15th General Election (GE15), Mohd Shukri won with a 3,335 majority, defeating Zainuddin Yom (Warisan), Ahmad Fadzhil Mohamad (PH-PKR), and Sharipudin Ahmad (BN).- BERNAMA
