THE new Malacca state executive council (exco) lineup will include other political parties under the unity government, said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

The deputy prime minister said the state exco list was presented to him by Malacca Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh today. 

“I would like to confirm that friends in the unity government at central level will be included in the state exco lineup. 

“In my view, this is a new perspective; not only do we support the unity government at the central level but also at the state level,” he said to reporters today. 

Zahid said although Barisan Nasional won 21 of the 28 state seats contested in the last state election, due to the spirit of the unity government, the party intends to share power with other political parties in the government.

He was confident that Ab Rauf would soon present the names of the new exco lineup to the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Malacca Tun Mohd Ali Rustam. 

Commenting further, Zahid said the Malacca government was also likely to create deputy exco positions for certain portfolios. 

When asked if the former state tourism, heritage and culture committee chairman Muhammad Jailani Khamis, who reportedly criticised the change of chief minister, would be dropped, Zahid said he would leave the decision to Ab Rauf. 

Earlier on, Zahid was confident that the unity government’s national convention, held on May 14, would establish better relations between all parties in the unity government. 

“The fact is that we in today’s government, which has a composition of various religions, races, and backgrounds, must establish a sense of belonging and togetherness among us,” he said. – Bernama, April 2, 2023.