Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohamad Hasan today introduced nine new state exco members and put forward a drastic new measure in a bid to make the ruling BN state government effective and in touch with the people.

In the process Mohamad dropped five incumbents although they won their seats in the general election. He only retained one old face. Seven of the nine new members were first time assemblypersons who won their state seats at the March 8 polls.

However one of those dropped, Pertang state representative Razak Mansor is expected to be appointed as the state legislative speaker.

Four other incumbents lost their seats in the elections. They are MCA’s Peter Lai Yit Fee, MIC’s T Rajagopalu, Gerakan’s Woo Ah Lek and Yu Chok Tow from MCA who lost the Seremban parliamentary seat.

The menteri besar, who retained his Rantau state seat with an increased majority of 7,739, also introduced a key measure to keep his exco members on their toes.

He said that all exco members would only be serving on a two-year term, until March 2010.

After that, he added, their performances will be evaluated and their terms extended or terminated accordingly.

"This is to ensure they work hard and not get complacent and lazy. If they do their work well, we will extend their terms, otherwise, I will not hesitate to drop them,” he said.

“This applies to all exco members, including those from the MIC and MCA. Though there is only one representative from these parties, they can be replaced with others from Umno,” he warned.

Mohamad did not announce the portfolios for the exco members today, stating that he would wait for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to announce the new cabinet to ensure the cabinet portfolios are reflected in the exco.

“This is to ensure more effective and efficient implementation of the government's policies and objectives," he said.

The BN failed to obtain a two-thirds in the state by winning only 21 out of the 36 state seats. Opoosition party DAP was voted strongly with 10 seats, PKR (four) and PAS (1).

The exco members for Negeri Sembilan are as follows:

1. Ismail Lasim (Senaling);

2. Ismail Taib (Linggi, new face);

3. Mohammad Razi Kail (Juasseh, new face);

4. Datuk Yunus Rahmat (Klawang, new face);

5. Shamsul Kahar Md Deli (Serting, new face);

6. Abdul Samad Ibrahim (Seri Menanti, new face);

7. Datuk Hashim Rusdi (Labu, new face);

8. Zainab Nasir (Gemas, new face);

9. Siow Shen Tin (MCA-Chennah, new face); and,

10. VS Mogan (MIC-Jeram Padang, new face)