Negri MB: Ok for me to hold five portfolios, just like my predecessor

(MMO) – Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Aminuddin Harun has defended holding five state executive councillor portfolios, saying such a move is necessary as it requires his direct attention.

Aminuddin who is also the state Pakatan Harapan chairman added that it is not unusual for a mentri besar to hold multiple portfolios, and pointed out that his Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had done the same.

“I don’t see it [being in charge of many portfolios] as a problem because the previous mentri besar had done the same thing. However, some changes were made to the portfolios.

“There are matters that need [a mentri besar’s] attention, especially land, financial and security issues. 

“The state exco and I have our responsibilities. I hope that the community can accept my stand on this,” the PKR man was quoted saying by local daily New Straits Times (NST), adding that he accepts the community’s opinion on this matter.

Aminuddin currently chairs the five state committees of Finance, Land and Natural Resources; Islamic Affairs; Tourism; Security and Information; and Infrastructure and Public Facilities.

NST said the previous MB Mohamad had chaired five state committees, namely Finance, Land and Natural Resources; Islamic Affairs; Security and Information; Investment, Industrial and Entrepreneurship; and Rural Development.

Last Thursday, Aminuddin had announced the executive council line-up for Negri Sembilan with 15 portfolios, where he took up five portfolios and with 10 exco members taking up one portfolio each.

NST also reported Aminuddin saying that he will discuss with the exco members on the proposal for a pay cut, as was done to the federal ministers’ wages with a 10 per cent cut.

Sabah’s chief minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s decision to also hold the finance portfolio had previously raised eyebrows, but he and the Sabah deputy chief minister has since defended the move.

At the federal level, the Pakatan Harapan government has seen Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad giving up his initial plan to take on the education portfolio, after it was pointed out that the pact had pledged in its manifesto that the PM would not simultaneously hold other portfolios.