Negeri Sembilan Considers Deputy Exco Posts to Strengthen State Administration

SEREMBAN, Aug 4 — The Negeri Sembilan state government is considering a proposal to create Deputy Executive Council (Exco) positions across several key portfolios to enhance administrative efficiency, newly appointed Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim announced today.

Speaking to reporters at Wisma Negeri, Ismail explained that state executive council roles would be allocated to assemblymen representing Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, PAS, and Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan).

“There may not be enough Exco posts to offer, so we are considering creating Deputy Exco positions for several portfolios that I believe are important,” Ismail said.

Ismail highlighted that introducing Deputy Exco roles marks a new administrative approach for the state government, though the total number of deputy appointments has yet to be finalized. He added that while provisions exist for the appointment of Senior Exco positions, those decisions also remain under review.

The complete state executive council line-up is expected to be officially unveiled by Friday or Monday at the latest.

The announcement came on Ismail’s first official day on the job at the Menteri Besar’s Office in Wisma Negeri, where he clocked in at 9:00 am and was formally received by State Secretary Datuk Mohd Zafir Ibrahim alongside state department heads.

The 67-year-old Juasseh assemblyman took his oath of office as Menteri Besar before the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, at Istana Besar Seri Menanti on Sunday.

The proposed structural adjustments follow the recently concluded Negeri Sembilan state election, in which BN secured 18 seats and Perikatan Nasional won seven, allowing the two coalitions to form the state government with a two-thirds majority in the 36-seat assembly, while Pakatan Harapan captured the remaining 11 seats.

–NMT