LETTER | Under Article 39(1) of the Perlis State Constitution, the state tuler must appoint an executive council (Exco).

The Exco must be appointed as follows:

(a) The ruler must first appoint a menteri besar to preside over the exco, a person who, in His Majesty’s judgment, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the legislative assembly (LA); and

(b) The ruler must, on the advice of the menteri besar, appoint not more than eight and not less than four other persons.

So, a minimum of four assemblypersons plus the menteri besar, who must be an assemblyperson himself, make up the exco.

Accordingly, Perlis menteri besar Abu Bakar Hamzah has rightly said that the appointment of the new Perlis exco could proceed with the minimum four members following PAS’ decision not to join the state administration under his leadership.

“It (having only four exco appointments) is indeed very challenging because we have many portfolios… This time, at least five portfolios will have to be handled by one exco member,” he told a press conference during the Visit Malaysia 2026 promotional event at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) in Padang Besar on Thursday (Jan 1).

It is, however, curious that PAS should decide not to join the state administration when the person to preside over the exco - that is, the menteri besar - could not have been appointed by the state ruler if he had not commanded the confidence of the majority of the state assembly.

Didn't PAS’ assemblypersons lend their confidence in Abu Bakar when Bersatu had only five elected representatives?

It may take only four to make up the exco, but seven to appoint the menteri besar.

Isn’t it time to work together for the sake of the people of Perlis?

Let not the rakyat be the grass in the African proverb: “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”

Or the mousedeer in the Malay proverb: “When two elephants fight, the mousedeer dies in the middle” (Gajah sama gajah berlawan, pelanduk/kancil mati di tengah-tengah).

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.