DAP Rep Sworn-in As Perak Assembly Speaker

IPOH, April 25 (Bernama)

Tronoh assemblyman V. Sivakumar of the DAP was sworn-in as Perak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Friday.

Sivakumar, 38, obtained 31 votes in the election for the post while the previous chair, Datuk Seri Junus Wahid renominated by Barisan Nasional (BN), received 28 votes.

His election makes him the first Indian to assume the post of speaker in Malaysia.

Sivakumar entered politics in 1997 and beat BN candidate Lee Kim Choy by 2,571 votes in last month's general election.

He holds a Bachelor in Legal Philosophy and Masters in Business Administration and previously served as political secretary to Ipoh Barat member of Parliament M. Kulasegaran.

Meanwhile, Jelapang assemblyman Hee Yit Foong, 45, also from the DAP was elected Deputy Speaker. The BN nominated Chenderiang assemblyman Dr Mah Hang Soon for the post. Foong who is limping due to polio when she was four years old, is the first disabled woman to be elected to the post.

Meanwhile, all 59 assemblymen also took the oath of office starting with Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin who is Pasir Panjang representative.

Former menteri besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali was also sworn-in as Pengkalan Hulu assemblyman.

In the state assembly, the DAP has 18 representatives while Parti Keadilan Rakyat seven and Pas six. Collectively, they form the state government while BN, with 28 representatives, is the opposition.