The state secretary, Kamel Mohamad, said in a statement today that the state government denied an allegation by former chief minister Idris Haron that Melaka Umno chief Ab Rauf Yusoh had interfered in executive council matters and that Exco matters had to be referred to a third party before being implemented.
“It is not true that all decisions need to be referred to a third party either before, during or after the meeting,” Kamel said, adding that the executive council made collective decisions, Bernama reported.
Kamel said the state government was examining whether there has been a violation of the oath of secrecy taken by members of the executive council.
He said every Exco member had taken an oath of secrecy not to disclose either directly or indirectly any matter brought for consideration with the executive council.
Kamel said the state government also took seriously another accusation by Idris that the executive council was selective and racially biased in making its decisions. He said the council always took into account the interests of all the people of Melaka, irrespective of race and religion.
Last week, Idris and three executive councillors had revolted against the chief minister, Sulaiman Md Ali, announcing they were withdrawing support from his government. The three Exco members were Nor Azman Hassan (Umno-Pantai Kundor), Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas) and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Ind-Pengkalan Batu).
The revolt left Sulaiman’s government without a majority in the state assembly and led to the dissolution of the assembly by the governor, Mohd Ali Rustam.
Sulaiman and Exco in caretaker government
Following the dissolution of the state assembly Sulaiman now heads a caretaker government assisted by current members of the Exco, except those who resigned last week, Kamel said in a separate statement.
He said the executive councillors would continue with their respective roles for the time being.
He said the caretaker government, based on parliamentary conventions in the Commonwealth, would only serve until a new government was formed.
“The caretaker government cannot make any binding decisions and policies or take any action that can have financial implications and burden the new government that will be formed, unless the action must be implemented in the public’s interest,” he said, according to Bernama.
“To that end, the caretaker government can take actions such as carrying out routine official duties, including exercising the powers given under the law to ensure the functioning of the state government machinery; holding official meetings on the state government’s administrative matters.
“… Continuing the implementation of existing policies and programmes for which financial allocations have already been made; making any agreements, contracts and undertakings based on policies which have been approved by the state government or provisions approved by the state assembly, such as the current year’s budget,” he said.
Apart from that, he said the caretaker government could hold and attend official functions that had been scheduled for a state government project or programme.