Negeri Sembilan State Assembly dissolved today

The Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly automatically dissolved today, marking a historic first for the state and probably for the country. The automatic dissolution was in accordance with the state constitution. The 36-member assembly which was sworn in on March 27, 2008 and had its first sitting on April 25, 2008, had served the five-year term, making it the first state in the country to automatically dissolve, since the dissolution of Parliament has yet to be announced. Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that after the dissolution, his state executive committee would continue to function as the caretaker state government, as provided for in the state constitution. Mohamad had said that he would continue to remain as Mentri Besar and, together with his exco, see the day-to-day running of the government. "There has to be a caretaker government because we will have to pay wages and look into other matters during the period...without a caretaker government, there will be anarchy," Mohamad was quoted in a local daily. In the 12th General Election, Barisan Nasional (BN) won 21 of the 36 seats while DAP won 10, PKR (4) and PAS (1).