KUALA KANGSAR, MALAYSIA: State Pas secretary Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was sworn in the new Menteri Besar of Perak as he celebrates his 51st birthday Monday (17 Mar). At the same time a group of Barisan supporters was making a last minute attempt to persuade the Istana to allow them to form a minority state government.

Nazar’s swearing in as the 10th MB of Perak was supposed to take place last Thursday (13 Mar) but had to be deferred in the absence of clear undertaking from the three parties -DAP, PKR and PAS-to form a coalition government due to internal bickering. The Regent, Raja Nazrin Shah, then ordered all the 31 assemblymen from the three parties to submit to him individual letters of undertaking, pledging support to the formation of a coalition government and accepting the appointment of Mohammad Nizar as the Menteri Besar. This paved the way for the swearing in Monday.

The DAP-PKR-PAS pact wrested control in the state after winning 31 out of 59 seats in the 8 Mar general election. But former Perak Barisan elected representatives council (Mubarak) secretary Datuk Dr Dzulkarnain Abdul Rahman said Barisan had the more legitimate claim as it won 28 seats.

Several individuals and members of several non-governmental organisations had started gathering at Istana Kinta in Ipoh as early as 8am.
Dressed in a simple black baju Melayu, Nizar was sworn in and took the oath of office, pledge of loyalty and secrecy before the Regent of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah at Istana Iskandariah in the royal town. He received his instrument of appointment from the Regent. Mohammad Nizar signed his letter of appointment witnessed by Ipoh High Court Judge Datuk V. T. Singham.

This is the first time that someone outside of Umno has been appointed MB for Perak.

Present were the Raja di-hilir Perak, Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa; the Raja Puan Muda of Perak, Raja Nor Mahani Raja Shahar Shah; State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim and Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria. Former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali and state assemblymen from the DAP-PKR-PAS coalition state government also attended the ceremony which began at 11.40am.

DAP advisor Lim Kit iang, PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa, Perak PAS commissioner Ahmad Awang and Perak PKR chairman Zulkifli Ibrahim also witnessed the ceremony.

Mohammad Nizar won Pasir Panjang state seat, defeating Barisan Nasional's S. Vasan with a majority of 4,474 votes.

He joined Pas in 1995 and contested for the first time in the 2004 general election in Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat but lost to Umno Wanita chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz. He has held numerous posts in the party including as state Pas treasurer and Kampar Pas division chief.

He was educated at the Sekolah Rendah Anglo Chinese Kampar, Sekolah Menengah Anglo Chinese Kampar and Sekolah Menengah Teknik Ipoh before pursuing A-Level in England and later obtained a degree at the Aston University of Science & Technology in Birmingham.

Mohamad Nizar has worked for the Public Works Department, Urban Development Authority and Penang Development Corporation. He is married to Fatimah Taat and they have eight children -- five boys and three girls.

Apart from Malay and English, he also speaks Mandatin, Cantonese, Hokkien and Tamil.

The next task of Mohammad Nizar would be the pick two deputy menteris besar as agreed by the coalition partners and the forming of the executive council.

Perak DAP chairperson and Setiawan state assemblyperson Ngeh Khoo Ham would be made deputy menteri besar (1) while an Indian candidate from PKR would be made deputy menteri besar (2).

The only Indian candidate from PKR is S Kesavan, who won the Hutan Melintang state seat. Kesavan - who is PKR youth deputy secretary - defeated MIC women’s deputy chief S Thangasvari by 1,721 votes.

Nizar was the first to arrive at the palace at 10.45am, just before the Raja Nazrin arrived. Raja Nazrin apparently arrived too early, catching state DAP leader Ngeh Khoo Ham and former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli off guard. (MySinchew)