KUALA BESUT, July 12 — Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh denied today claims of friction with Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, which the Besut MP blamed on political foe PAS as a poor attempt to drive a wedge between the two Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders for control of the east coast state.

PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa launched the first strike earlier today when he suggested Idris will benefit politically against Ahmad should BN lose the Kuala Besut by-election.

“I don’t have a problem,” Idris, the former Terengganu MB said when asked to comment on his alleged rivalry with Ahmad, his successor.

“Husam knows nothing... He is trying to put us against each other,” the second education minister said, adding, “We’re staunch supporters of him” in reference to Ahmad.

The alleged tiff between Idris and Ahmad started after Ahmad was appointed mentri besar following Election 2008.

A long-serving statesman in Terengganu, Idris has been instrumental in winning back Terengganu from PAS in the 2004 general elections. BN had won 28 seats compared to PAS’ four.

Despite the federal government’s recommendation, the Terengganu Ruler, Sultan Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, refused to reappoint him after Election 2008 and swore in Ahmad instead.

Idris today trumpeted his own achievement during and after the May polls, when he won the Besut parliamentary seat and got elected as Education Minister II in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s new cabinet.

With the federal responsibility now on his shoulders, Idris is expected to not challenge Ahmad’s leadership of the state government.

“Husam ‘tak ada modal’ (has no new ideas). His candidate has run out of steam, his party too,” Idris said, taking a dig at PAS’s Kuala Besut by-election director.

According to Husam earlier, current Mentri Besar Ahmad’s reputation will likely be dented if the coalition loses, paving the way for his predecessor to return to the limelight.

“PAS will help them take care of Ahmad Said,” Husam told reporters, referring to Idris’ camp in Terengganu Umno.