The Malacca government and its people must work in tandem to further develop the state, said new Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.

Sulaiman, who is also Lendu assemblyman, said all 17 state assemblypersons who had expressed their cooperation to form the new state government should also move in tandem to realise the goals.

“Leaders and the people need to move together. Looking at all 17 assemblypersons from various backgrounds, I can see this coalition is capable of delivering great work.

“Malacca needs them (17 assemblypersons) to ensure that their cooperation will be able to fulfil the people's aspirations,” he said at his first media conference in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, yesterday.

Earlier, he took his oath of office as the 12th Chief Minister during the swearing-in ceremony before Yang Dipertua Negeri of Malacca Mohd Khalil Yaakob.

Of the 17 assemblypersons, 13 of them are from the Barisan Nasional (BN), two from Bersatu, namely Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen (Paya Rumput) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas); Muhammad Jailani Khamis (PKR-Rembia) and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (DAP-Pengkalan Batu).

In another development, Sulaiman said he would look into the water issue in the state today and would discuss it with various parties, namely, Malacca state secretary Hasim Hasan, the Malacca Water Regulatory Body (BKSA) and the Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (SAMB).

“Let those involved to explain the real problems first, then I will take immediate and reasonable action (to resolve the water issue),” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking at a brief ceremony in his hometown of Masjid Tanah, Alor Gajah, Sulaiman said his appointment as the new chief minister was a huge responsibility to lead the state administration.

- Bernama