Datuk Zahari Sarip, an assemblyman from Buloh Kasap, has been appointed as the Speaker of Johor’s 16th State Legislative Assembly.
Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi proposed his nomination at the first meeting of the 16th Johor State Legislative Assembly, held at the Sultan Ismail Building in Kota Iskandar.
The motion was seconded by Bukit Permai assemblyman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, and no other nominations were proposed.
Zahari, 59, succeeds Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, who was speaker of the 15th Johor State Legislative Assembly from April 2022 until it was dissolved in early June.
He previously served as chairman of the Johor State Agriculture, Agro-Based Industry, and Rural Development Committee and has been representing Buloh Kasap since 2018.
Zahari retained the Buloh Kasap seat in the 16th Johor State Election last July, defeating Pakatan Harapan (PH-PKR) candidate Noraziah Mohd Razit by a margin of 8,600 votes. In his speech
following his official election, Zahari thanked the Menteri Besar and all members of the state assembly for putting their trust in him.
He promised to fulfilll the trust placed in him with determination and dedication.
“This appointment is a great honour and trust. I will carry out the responsibility entrusted to me to the best of my ability, in accordance with the oath I took earlier,” he said.
Zahari also expressed his appreciation to Mohd Puad and former deputy speaker Datuk Samsolbari Jamali for their contributions and service during the 15th State Legislative Assembly.
During the same session, Semarang assemblyman Samsolbari, 66, was reappointed as Johor State Assembly Deputy Speaker after Onn Hafiz proposed his name for the position and no other nominations were received.
He has been a Semarang assemblyman since 2004, and he won a 14,679-vote majority in the most recent Johor state election in a three-way race.
