THE newly minted Perlis Menteri Besar, Mohd Shukri Ramli, says the position is a responsibility entrusted by the people to him therefore it needs to be carried out properly.

Shukri, the Perlis Perikatan Nasional chairman, said he and his peers elected by the people would work hard to implement the PN manifesto of building a clean and stable government to give rise to a ‘New Perlis’.

“Changes, especially in terms of economic and human resource development as promised in the PN manifesto, will be implemented in stages because we cannot do it drastically,” he said yesterday.

Earlier, Shukri was sworn in as the new menteri besar before Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail at the Green Room in Istana Arau.

Shukri, 61, who goes by the nickname Cikgu Shukri, said he was grateful to the people of Perlis for giving their mandate to PN in the polls.

The state PAS commissioner, who joined the party in 1990, also said that he hoped the people could give some time to the new state government to bring about changes.

Wasting no time, Shukri said he wanted to meet with the state’s senior officials to discuss what needs to be done, in addition to holding a special ceremony to honour the contributions, services and sacrifices of the leaders of the previous government, especially former menteri besar Azlan Man and exco.

Shukri said he would fully utilise his experience as a three-term assemblyman for Sanglang and as a teacher for 28 years to help him carry out his new responsibility.

When asked about the appointment of the new exco, he said: “Roughly, I have outlined that six of the exco members will be appointed from PAS and three more from Bersatu, and this matter will be brought up at the upcoming Perlis PN meeting.”

PN managed to form the state government after winning 14 out of 15 seats, in addition to securing the three parliamentary seats of Padang Besar, Arau and Kangar in Saturday’s polls. – Bernama, November 23, 2022.