Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah taking his oath of office at Istana Kaki Bukit in Alor Setar, February 4, 2016. ― Picture by KE Ooi

ALOR SETAR, Feb 4 ― Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah was sworn in this morning as the 12th Kedah mentri besar, putting an end to a two-week leadership crisis sparked by a revolt in Umno against former MB Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.

The Bakar Bata assemblyman took his oath of office before Kedah Regency Council chairman Tan Sri Tunku Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah in the ceremony at Istana Kaki Bukit here.

Among those present were Kedah Speaker Datuk Md Rozai Safian and the state’s eight executive councillors including Datuk Aminuddin Omar, who was one of those said to have initially voiced support for Mukhriz.

Ahmad Bashah was the man who led the delegation of 14 Umno division chiefs, state and federal lawmakers to call for removal of Mukhriz at a press conference on January 20.

Among the reasons given for their discontent was Mukhriz’s purported failure to govern the state, to unite the party and his lack of strategy for the next general election in 2018.

Mukhriz had at first refused to step down but announced his resignation with immediate effect yesterday after he was informed by the council that he had lost majority support of the state legislative assembly.

The council met with Mukhriz and the remaining 35 state assemblymen on Monday and Tuesday to gauge their support for the embattled leader after it was notified of the revolt against him.

Ahmad Bashah is expected to hold his first media conference as mentri besar this afternoon.