Barisan Nasional Datuk Seri Azlan Man as the Mentri Besar

GEORGE TOWN: The almost month-long power struggle in Perlis has now gained a reprieve when the nine Barisan Nasional assemblypersons have made a sudden U-turn and decided to support Datuk Seri Azlan Man as the Mentri Besar.
Earlier, the nine as well as state Umno liaison chairperson Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and the party’s secretary Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin had resisted accepting Azlan on grounds that he did not cooperate with the party in Perlis since 2013.
Although Azlan, the Bintong assemblyperson was sworn – in before the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Syed Jamalullail two weeks ago as a sign of the Ruler’s acceptance of him as the Mentri Besar, his nine other party colleagues have turned their back on him.
Through first Shahidan and later Zahidi as their spokesperson; they were even mulling legal action against Azlan but after they were granted a second audience with the Ruler, they have since relented after also apologizing to the palace for causing an inconvenience.
Chuping assemblyperson Azmaiza Ahmad told journalists that they decided to support Azlan after meeting the state Ruler.
“We shall respect the decision of Tuanku, and we will move on.”
Azmaiza said that Azlan was directed to form a state government with the appointment of key state executive councillors before Hari Raya Adil Fitri.
However, Zahidi in an interview later disclosed that the nine have a turnaround for the sake of helping to form a state government to serve the people.
“I was informed that our backbenchers had a change of heart because they were impressed upon an urgent need to form a government for Perlis.”
But Zahidi said that Perlis Umno is also studying the possibility of filing a no-confidence motion against Azlan when the fresh state assembly legislative sitting convenes in a couple of weeks.
“I think there is what I see as only a grudging sense of support for Azlan. When the assembly convenes, we may attempt a no-confidence motion. Our priority is a leader who has the command of respect from the majority in the House.”
The best way out other than a fresh state election was to implore on Azlan to vacate his post for the sake of the state, party and its people, said Zahidi.
Most importantly, it is also to put an end to this impasse, said Zahidi.
Law export Shamsher Singh Thind said that a no-confidence motion is one of the legal and a matured democratic approach in a parliamentary-based democracy system, but it was seldom attempted in Malaysia’s modern history.
He hopes that the problem can be averted with a sensible solution put forth so the state can regain its footing after the 14th general election.
Perlis is the country’s smallest state with a population base of not more than 270,000 and in the election; its voters gave 10 state seats to Barisan Nasional through Umno while the remaining five were shared with Pakatan Harapan (two) and PAS (three).
Shahidan and Zahidi won the two out of the three parliament seats.
ends