KANGAR: Speculations are rife that several Perlis Umno leaders will leave the party and to either become Independents or join the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
Party insiders told theSun that among the leaders contemplating to join PPBM are the Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man and Padang Besar MP Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin as well as several elected representatives.
In the present arrangement, Barisan Nasional (BN) through Umno has nine state seats while Pakatan Harapan (PH) has five while another elected representative is from MCA.
In Parliament, two of the three seats are held by BN.
The speculations surfaced following after former Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad left the party to join PPBM.
Although he has retired from active politics, Radzi is seen as the “power behind the throne,“ in Perlis politics as his father was the state’s first Mentri Besar.
Other veteran politicians in Perlis such as Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh and Tan Sri Azmi Khalid were said to prefer a change in the state administration.
“The main reason is that Perlis as the smallest state in the country needs to enjoy close rapport and the full support of the national government. We just cannot survive on our own,“ said the insider.
Another Perlis Umno strongman, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who was among the longest serving mentri besars in the state, is also said to be considering leaving the party.
His brother Datuk Ismail Kassim, who is the Tambun Tulang assemblyman had already left and joined PKR.
Meanwhile, state executive councillor Rozieana Ahmad, who is also the Pauh assemblyman, said the state government should not allow such speculations to affect their work to serve the people.
“I will remain in Umno as I think the people still needs the party,“ she said.
Rozieana said reports quoting Shahidan as saying that many Umno leaders may leave was just his personal point of view.
