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Mr Azizan (right) with former chief Mahdzir Khalid. -- PHOTO: THE STAR / ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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ALOR STAR (KEDAH) - KEDAH will not turn into another Kelantan, declared the state's newly appointed Menteri Besar, Azizan Abdul Razak, yesterday.
'Kelantan is Kelantan, and Kedah is Kedah,' he said, after introducing the new coalition government yesterday.
'We have the same political party and same principles but in terms of implementation of some policies, we have to consider the environment, the situation, the culture.'
The Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) commissioner was sworn in as Kedah's ninth Menteri Besar on Monday, after the opposition snared 22 of 36 state seats in last Saturday's election.
Barisan Nasional (BN) had won only 14 state seats. PAS claimed 16, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) four, and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and an independent candidate one each.
Mr Azizan, 68, was asked by reporters whether his government would follow PAS-led Kelantan in implementing Islamic regulations and administrative systems.
He said: 'Maybe we can find some good things in Kelantan that can be adopted in Kedah and something good in Kelantan that can be put in Kedah.'
He would not cite examples of suitable policies but said the government would focus on 'values promoted by all religions' which are 'to be just, fair and harmonious to everybody'.
He also said that several companies in the state's Kulim Hi-Tech Park were worried about his earlier comment that he would review the RM50 billion (S$23 billion) Zipy petroleum pipeline project in Yan and the Northern Corridor Economic Region.
Assuring investors, Mr Azizan said: 'Any time, they can come to see me. That's our policy. We welcome investors to come here, to invest here, and look at how to help them and how to overcome problems.'
There seems to be some unease over the executive council. It has seven representatives from PAS and three from PKR but none from the DAP.
Kedah DAP secretary Lee Guan Aik was to have been invited to represent the Chinese community, but was replaced by the PKR's Tan Wei Shu.
Mr Lee told The Straits Times yesterday: 'That was initially agreed upon, but I don't know what happened.'
He said he will consult his party members and decide on follow-up action.
Independent candidate Arumugam Vengatarakoo, who has joined the PKR, will represent the Indian community in the council, among other roles.
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