KOTA BHARU (Aug 15): Meranti assemblyman Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud was sworn in as the ninth menteri besar of Kelantan on Tuesday (Aug 15).

Mohd Nassuruddin, 58, took his oath of office before Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negeri, Kubang Kerian here.

At the swearing-in ceremony, Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan was also sworn in as the new deputy menteri besar of Kelantan.

The appointments of Mohd Nassuruddin and Mohamed Fadzli put an end to speculation about who would be the next Kelantan menteri besar and the deputy, following Perikatan Nasional's (PN) landslide win in Saturday’s state elections.

Prior to his appointment as the Kelantan menteri besar, Mohd Nassuruddin had served as the State Islamic Development, Dakwah, Information and Regional Relations Committee chairman since 2013.

Mohd Nassuruddin has held the Meranti state seat for seven consecutive terms since winning it in the ninth general election in 1995.

In the state elections on Saturday, Mohd Nassuruddin, who is also the Kelantan PAS information chief, retained the Meranti seat after defeating Zahri Omar from Barisan Nasional with a majority of 9,154 votes.

Mohd Nassuruddin, a graduate of Al-Azhar University, Egypt, is married to Datin Wan Norhanita Wan Yaakob, and they are blessed with five children.

PAS and its PN ally Bersatu succeeded in forming a state government in Kelantan after sweeping 43 out of the 45 seats on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Fadzli, who previously served as the State Human Development, Education, Higher Education, and Information Technology Committee chairman, has served as the Temangan assemblyman since winning the seat in the 12th general election.

Born in Machang, Mohamed Fadzil is a former assistant professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia’s (IIUM) Faculty of Law, and has served as the deputy director of IIUM’s Harun Mahmud Hashim Law Centre.

Meanwhile, nine assemblymen — eight from PAS and one from Bersatu — were sworn in as members of the Kelantan state executive council at Tuesday’s ceremony.

The nine assemblymen are Major Datuk Md Anizam Ab Rahman (Kemahang), Datuk Dr Izani Husin (Kijang), Saripuddin Tuan Ismail (Selising), Wan Roslan Wan Hamat (Pengkalan Kubor), Rohani Ibrahim (Tanjong Mas), Mohd Asri Mat Daud (Demit), Zamakhshari Mohamad (Apam Putra), Hilmi Abdullah (Guchil), and Datuk Kamaruddin Md Noor (Air Lanas).