MELAKA – Ayer Keroh state assemblyman Kerk Chee Yee has been elected as the deputy speaker of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly.
Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh proposed Kerk for the post and the proposal was seconded by Senior Exco of Housing, Local Government, Irrigation, Climate Change and Disaster Management Datuk Rais Yasin.
Twenty-four assemblymen supported Kerk’s nomination, two abstained and two were not present during the vote at the state assembly sitting here today.
When tabling the proposal, Ab Rauf said Kerk possessed wide experience in administration and politics.
“The Melaka-born Kerk’s father (the late) Kerk Kim Hock was the Durian Daun assemblyman from 1986 to 1990.
“Kerk (Chee Yee) has a degree in Trade and Accountancy from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and has been active in politics since 2017,” he said.
Ab Rauf said Kerk had also served as political secretary to former DAP adviser Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang and was the executive councillor in charge of communications, multimedia, non-governmental organisations, youth and sports from 2018 to 2020.
Ab Rauf’s proposal to nominate Melaka UMNO secretary Datuk Mustafa Musa as a senator was also approved by the state assembly with the same votes.
The appointment of Mustafa, who is also Alor Gajah UMNO division deputy chief, is for a three-year term beginning today.
Kerk told reporters later that he wants to bring reforms to the state assembly and will discuss this matter with the relevant parties.
“I have many ideas in the context of reforming this legislative body,” he said without elaborating.
On his appointment, he said it is another step taken by Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan (PH) that shows the unity of the Melaka government.
“In the past few months following the formation of the unity government in Melaka, state excos (executive councillors) and deputy excos were appointed from among PH assemblymen,” he said. – July 31, 2023