KUALA KANGSAR: Perak's 10 state executive councilors were sworn in Saturday (29 Mar), ending three weeks of problems over the composition of its line-up among the incoming three-party coalition.

The previous Barisan Nasional coalition was swept out of office on 8 March by candidates from DAP, PKR and PAS. The new exco line-up comprise six state assemblymen from the DAP, three from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and one from PAS.

Bernama reported they took their oath of office before the Regent of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, at Istana Iskandariah here at 11.10am. The DAP assemblymen are Ngeh Koo Ham (Sitiawan), Nga Kor Ming (Pantai Remis), Su Keong Siong (Pasir Pinji), Chen Fook Chye (Keranji), Seah Leong Peng (Pasir Bedamar) and A. Sivanesan (Sungkai), the PKR assemblymen are Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang), Tai Sing Ng (Kuala Sepetang) and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (Changkat Jering) and the PAS assemblyman is Mohd Zainudin Mohd Yusof (Lubuk Merbau).

All the assemblymen were handed their letters of appointment after which they were sworn in, witnessed by Ipoh High Court judge Datuk V.T. Singham. The Raja Di-Hilir of 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; Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria and several Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen also attended the ceremony.

No announcement was made on the portfolios of the councillors or the two new posts of deputy menteri besar proposed by the new coalition.

The Perak coalition government was established after the three parties together won 31 seats in the 59-seat Perak State Legislative Assembly - DAP had won 18 seats, PKR seven and PAS six. The BN won the remaining 28 seats. Although DAP holds the most number of seats, the Mentri Besar post went to PAS Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin who took his oath of office on 17 Mar, as the state constitution stipulates that this post must be held by a Malay.

On 13 Mar, it was reported that PKR had threatened to withdraw from the coalition government because of disagreement over the distribution of the state executive council posts. The final compromise was to reduce DAP's allocation from eight to six while PAS was allocated one seat. ()