Perlis MB unfazed by brewing crisis, gets down to work immediately

KANGAR: Datuk Seri Azlan Man started his official duty as Perlis Mentri Besar for the second term at 10.15am Friday at the state assembly building in Persiaran Wawasan here.

The 60-year-old Bintong assemblyman, who was dressed in a black coat with a red tie, arrived in haste and entered his office without any symbolic clocking-in on the biometric fingerprint scanner located at the entrance.

He, however, greeted the staff in the office and media personnel standing by for his arrival.

“No more drama. It’s time for work for me,” he said, declining to comment further on his appointment before proceeding to his room.

On May 24, Azlan was sworn in before the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail in Istana Arau, two weeks after GE14 which saw Barisan winning 10 out of 15 state seats.

However, no Barisan assemblymen showed up for Azlan’s swearing-in ceremony.

On May 12, Perlis Barisan delivered a letter to the palace stating that Tambun Tulang assemblyman Datuk Ismail Kassim commanded the confidence of the new state assembly.

Ismail is also the brother of state Barisan chairman and Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who said he and nine Barisan assemblymen have met with Umno's top two leaders to ask that Azlan be sacked from the party.

Shahidan also appealed to Raja Perlis, asking him not to interfere in the state government, and called on Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to intervene in the mentri besar appointment.