PETALING JAYA — Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar has been named parliamentary opposition leader for Malaysia’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, the group announced on May 16. The PN supreme council approved the appointment on Saturday. Ahmad Samsuri, Terengganu’s Menteri Besar and the MP for Kemaman, succeeds Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, who was removed from the role after his expulsion from the Bersatu party on Feb. 13.
PN secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the council also met to reorganize the coalition’s state chapters ahead of the next general election. He added the meeting agreed in principle to pursue electoral cooperation or pacts with parties that align with Perikatan’s objectives.
The statement named leaders for most state Perikatan chapters, excluding Negeri Sembilan. Appointed heads include former Perlis Menteri Besar Shaidan Kassin; Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor; Gerakan president Dominic Lau for Penang; Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu for Perak; Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali for Selangor; and Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin for the Federal Territories. Parliament’s lower house, the Dewan Rakyat, is scheduled to reconvene in June.