JOHOR BARU: Bukit Kepong assemblyman Dr Sahruddin Jamal was sworn in as the 17th Menteri Besar of Johor at Istana Bukit Serene here, today.
He took his oath of office before the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, at 9.30am.
A post on Sultan Ibrahim’s official Facebook page features images of Dr Sahruddin being sworn in before His Royal Highness at the Audience Room of the palace.
Also present were Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and Sultan Ibrahim’s son-in-law, Datuk Dennis Muhammad Abdullah.
Dr Sahruddin, 43, was the state’s Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman.
Born on May 26, 1975, the Johor Pakatan Harapan secretary holds an MBBS degree from Universiti Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia.
Prior to entering politics, he operated his own clinic – Klinik Dr Sahruddin – in Bukit Pasir, Pagoh.
He is married to fellow doctor, Dr Nila Armila Mukdan. They have three daughters.
In the 14th general election last year, Dr Sahruddin, from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), won the Bukit Kepong seat (previously known as Bukit Serampang).
He defeated Barisan Nasional candidate Mohd Noor Taib by a majority of 1,273 votes.
Dr Sahruddin came to prominence thanks to his hands-on tackling of the toxic waste contamination crisis at Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, last month. More than 100 schools had to be closed and the health of hundreds of people was affected by hazardous gases from the illegal chemical dumping.
Speculation was rife that Dr Sahruddin was to be the next MB after he was chosen as the official representative of then-MB Datuk Osman Sapian for the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat in Putrajaya – a day after Osman met with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr Mahathir announced Osman’s resignation the following day (April 9).