KUALA LUMPUR – Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has hit back at those who questioned him about holding eight portfolios in the state executive council (exco).
Sanusi justified that a state government only has a fraction of the number of representatives needed to handle various portfolios as compared to the current federal government, which consists of 28 ministers.
“The federal government (in 2022) has 28 people, and each minister holds two to three portfolios.
“The state cabinet only has 11 people, and each exco will hold multiple portfolios to coordinate with the federal government.
“There are also structures in the state government that do not exist at the federal level, and vice versa,” Sanusi said in a statement.
In the post, Sanusi shared infographics displaying the 28 ministers in the federal government, and the 2020 cabinet under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s federal administration – which had 32 ministers and 38 deputies.
Yesterday, Kedah’s executive council members – consisting of seven assemblypersons from PAS, three from Bersatu, and one from Gerakan – were sworn in.
It was revealed that Sanusi holds eight portfolios this term, on top of his role as menteri besar.
They are state planning; land, minerals, and geoscience affairs; earth resources; finance; GLCs; the state Economic Action Council; Kedah Development 2035; and external relations.
Most members of the council hold three portfolios, while Mohamad Yusoff Zakaria and Datuk Halimaton Shaadiah Saad hold four and two portfolios, respectively. – August 22, 2023