Zahid: Impasse in Perlis is over

BN assemblymen to apologise to Ruler

KANGAR: The nine Barisan Nasional assemblymen who were absent at the swearing-in ceremony of the mentri besar will apologise and pledge their loyalty to Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, says Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the MB crisis will be over, adding that state Barisan chairman and Perlis Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who is also Arau MP, does not have a say on the issue.

“Shahidan is not an assemblyman and he can’t make decisions for the nine assemblymen.

“The impasse is over and the nine assemblymen have agreed to pledge loyalty to Tuanku and support Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man.

“They are only waiting for an audience with Tuanku in the next few days,” said Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is carrying out the duties of the party president.

He added that the stability, good work and development in the state must continue.

“Above all, the rakyat who chose the Barisan government must be given priority,” he told The Star via phone in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

His comments came after Shahidan told local media on Monday that the nine assemblymen were not in favour of Azlan as Perlis Mentri Besar.

Shahidan said he was working on a “legal process” to resolve the issue, adding that the process is necessary to demonstrate to the Raja that Azlan did not receive majority support of the assemblymen.

In the 14th General Election, Barisan won 10 of the 15 state seats in Perlis; Pakatan Harapan took three seats and PAS, two.

The state was thrown into turmoil when the nine Barisan assemblymen boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of Azlan, who is Kangar Umno division head and state liaison deputy chief, as mentri besar on May 24.

Tuanku, enraged by the behaviour of the assemblymen, issued a statement saying that he did not pick Tambun Tulang assemblyman Datuk Ismail Kassim, Shahidan’s younger brother, as mentri besar because His Highness did not want someone who could be a “puppet” in the hands of others.

Shahidan responded by claiming that Azlan did not have the support of the assemblymen and he should be sacked by Umno for accepting the post.

Yesterday, Dr Ahmad Zahid declined to say if disciplinary action would be taken against Shahidan for holding the assemblymen and the state to “ransom”.

Meanwhile, Santan assemblyman Azizan Sulaiman, who is one of the nine, said there was no word from the palace regarding an audience with Tuanku.

“We are expecting this to happen in the next few days or early next week,” he added.