Power struggle for Perlis MB over

GEORGE TOWN: The power struggle for the post of mentri besar in Perlis has come to an end as a swearing-in ceremony will be held tomorrow.
Invitations have been sent to assemblymen and a candidate for mentri besar has been selected with blessings from the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail.
Umno acting president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his acting deputy Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein were earlier granted an audience on Tuesday with the state ruler at the royal palace in Arau.
They were believed to have offered their suggestions on who should represent Barisan Nasional (BN) as the mentri besar during the 20-minute long meeting.
A list has been submitted and it is learnt that the names of former mentri besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man (Bintong), Datuk Ismail Kassim (Tambun Tulang) and Azizan Sulaiman (Santan) have been forwarded.
Alternatively, another candidate could be mooted by the palace.
The Thai bordering state is the smallest state in the country with a population base of around 250,000.
It is even smaller than the Kubang Pasu district in Kedah where its economic activities mirror its neighbours.
The state is strong in cross-border trade, agriculture, services and cottage industries.
Political scientist Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian noted that Perlis has often delayed its nomination of mentris besar.
In 2013, the state palace had to deliberate with various quarters for two weeks before settling on Azlan as the candidate, said Sivamurugan.
Azlan took over from Datuk Seri Md Isa Sabu in 2013, who in turn took over from the Perlis Umno liaison chairperson Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim in 2008.
Shahidan was the longtime mentri besar having served in the state from 1995 to 2008.
The impasse began when Shahidan upon the completion of the 14th general election, proposed that Ismail, who is his younger brother to be anointed as the mentri besar.
But Azlan claimed that he was kept in the dark over the matter.
Since then, the palace has met with almost all of the backbenchers to seek their views over the matter.
In the last election, Perlis BN won 10 out of the 15 state and two out of three parliamentary seas.
Pakatan Harapan through PKR has three state and one parliament seats while PAS has the remaining three state seats.
There had been suggestions for a national unity government consisting of representatives from BN, Pakatan and PAS be formed, following the power struggle.
But the quorum was not met as the 10 BN assemblypersons were hesitant to accept the concept.