Islam And Malay Interests In Penang Will Be Protected, Says Fairus

PENANG, March 13 (Bernama) -- Penang Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin today pledged to protect the interests of Islam and the rights of the Malays in the state.

Mohammad Fairus, 32, who holds the portfolios on religious affairs, entrepreneur development and cooperatives, information and social relations, said there was no need for the Malays in Penang to worry as no race or religion would be neglected by the new DAP-Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) coalition government.

"The Malay agenda is an important one which has been entrusted to me and I'll definetely ensure that their interests are protected," he said after taking his oath of office before Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas at Dewan Sri Pinang here.

Mohammad Fairus, who is Penanti assemblyman, said he would ensure that all plans made by the state government would not jeopardise the interests of the Penang Malays.

Muslims and Malays in Penang had no reason to doubt the new state government because the provisions in the Federal Constitution clearly stated that Islam was the official religion, he added.

Mohammad Fairus, who is PKR National Integration Development Bureau advisor, is a political science graduate from the International Islamic University Malaysia.

On Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's statement that the state administration would be "free of the National Economic Policy", he said the new state government had its own new economic agenda which focused on the interests of all races.

He said programmes would be carried out to enlighten the people on the state's new economic agenda.

-- BERNAMA