IPOH, June 29- All 59 state assemblymen today took their oath of office when the 13th Perak state assembly convened for the first time in Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan here yesterday.
The 31 Barisan Nasional (BN) state assemblymen and 28 from the opposition comprising PAS (5), PKR (5) and the DAP (18) were sworn-in before newly elected state assembly Speaker Datuk SK Devamany.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir who is also Pangkor state assemblyman led the way followed by 58 other state assemblymen.
Earlier, Devamany,56, was elected as the state assembly Speaker after beating V.Sivakumar in a secret ballot marred by commotion triggered by opposition state assemblymen.
Devamany was nominated by Zambry and supported by Kota Tampan state assemblyman Datuk Saarani Mohamad while Sivakumar, the Batu Gajah Member of Parliament, was nominated by Abu Bakar Hussain (PAS-Titi Serong) and supported by Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP-Sitiawan).
Devamany who was the Cameron Highlands Member of Parliament for two terms contested and lost Sungai Siput parliamentary seat in the 13th general election (GE13).
The MIC vice-president was also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department from 2008 to April 2013.
After the Speaker was sworn-in, Zambry proposed Bota state assemblyman Datuk Nasarudin Hashim as the Deputy Speaker and was supported by Kamunting state assemblyman Datuk Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid.
Nasarudin was elected the Deputy Speaker by secret ballot beating Kuala Kurau state assemblyman Abdul Yunus Jamahri, the opposition candidate.
In 13GE, BN won a simple majority in Perak after winning 31 of the 59 seats against the opposition which won 28 seats.
Speaking before the assembly adjourned, Devamany urged state assemblymen to follow the rules, ethics and foster good relations.
“The debates in this assembly should be based on sincerity and also people-oriented,” he said. The state assembly was adjourned to a date to be determined later.
– BERNAMA
