Shahidan urges Dr M to intervene over Perlis MB crisis

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — Perlis Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim made an unlikely appeal for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to intervene in Umno’s squabbling over the state mentri besar’s post.

He claimed Datuk Seri Azlan Man, who was sworn in for a second term this morning, did not command the confidence of BN’s nine state assemblymen and has been sacked by Umno, making him an independent state lawmaker.

“We request that Dr Mahathir looks into reviewing the powers of appointing a mentri besar.

“As far as Perlis BN is concerned, we won the state and the appointed mentri besar must be selected based on the majority support that he receives from the assemblymen,” he said at Menara Dato Onn here today.

Shahidan, who is also Perlis Umno chief, was accompanied by state BN secretary Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin and the nine BN assemblymen who were absent from the Perlis mentri besar’s swearing-in ceremony in Arau this morning.

Shahidan said he is confident Dr Mahathir can assist with such matters despite being from a different political party.

“I know Dr Mahathir, and I have the highest respect for him as a statesman, while he also respects the fact that BN won in Perlis.

“In the Perlis case, it was clear cut that BN had won and the mentri besar candidate must receive the majority of support from the assemblymen,” he said.

Shahidan said as a matter of principal, Azlan should not accept the appointment because he did not get the majority support of state lawmakers.

“In the first place, Azlan was appointed without an official letter from BN, and the act of appointing someone who did not receive the majority support as the mentri besar was unethical according to the Constitution,” he said.

Shahidan said Azlan is no longer an Umno member with immediate effect, pending an official letter following an earlier meeting with the party’s acting president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi and acting deputy president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Azlan, 69, who is the Bintong assemblyman, was sworn in for the second term in front of Perlis Ruler, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, in Istana Arau.

The ceremony was attended by three Pakatan Harapan (PH) and two PAS assemblymen.

Shahidan also asked the Perlis Ruler to not intervene in the selection of the state’s mentri besar and its administration.

BN won nine state seats in the 14th general election, while PAS won two and PH three.