In his maiden speech as Selangor's 15th menteri besar, Azmin Ali took a stroll down memory lane, revealing how he had been a goatherd and even reared chickens during his childhood.

Speaking at Kampung Klang Gate, the PKR deputy president said his late father was one of those who opened the land there and the proof is his house number, which is "1E".

"I looked after goats in this village. I am not a son of a trader or worker.

"I have reared chicken in this village and because of the prayers of my father and mother, I have been given the responsibility as the new menteri besar," he added.

Azmin delivered this brief speech to about 300 people and supporters at a thanksgiving feast at the home of his mother, Che Tom Yahya.

He had earlier led the zohor prayers at the Klang Gate mosque.

Strained family ties

Azmin's ties with his family, including his 80-year-old mother, have been strained because of his political involvement.

In 2012, his mother pleaded with her son to break free from opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, claiming that he would be a better son if he did that.

"After every prayer, I ask God to help my son break free from Anwar, and return to the righteous path," she was quoted as saying by The Star .

In the same report, Azmin's sister Umi Hafilda (right) , a staunch critic of Anwar, said she would stop all forms of attack against her brother if he left Anwar for good.

"I am now on a drive to expose all the dirt about my brother, his wife Shamsidar Tahrin and Anwar," she had said.

The issue was widely reported in other pro-government media, prompting Azmin to lash out at Umno , telling them not to drag his mother into the political battle.

The Gombak MP had also denied his mother's allegation that he had been belligerent to her

'No coat and tie is my style'

Meanwhile, Azmin said he would fully utilise the RM3 billion Selangor funds reserve, which he said is held for the benefit of the "Selangor people".

The fund, he said, belongs to the people and it is not owned by any leader.

"The fund will be translated with various programmes for the benefit of Selangor people," Azmin said, adding that he would go to the ground and see the problems faced by the people.

Work in the state, he said, had been delayed for two months.

He said this in reference to the state's imbroglio following the protracted battle on who would replace former corporate leader Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

"My style of work is not only wearing a tie and coat but in wearing short sleeved shirt and long pants... I will go to the ground and hear for myself the problems faced by the people and try and resolve them," Azmin said.

He said he would go to the Selangor state building later to discuss the appointment of the new executive council members.

He also pledged to uplift the dignity of the state civil servants so that they could work as a team.

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