Perlis issue far from over

KANGAR: State Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (pic) is insisting that the nine state assemblymen from the coalition are not in favour of Datuk Seri Azlan Man as Perlis Mentri Besar.

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

He added that it is untrue that the nine assemblymen are supporting Azlan’s appointment as mentri besar for the second term.

“Nobody told me that and we are already in the midst of a legal process,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Asked what he meant by the “legal process”, and whether it meant that a snap state election might be called, Shahidan only said: “Our lawyers will be speaking soon.”

On the demand by some groups that Shahidan and the assemblymen apologise to the Ruler and resign from their posts, he said: “We did not do anything wrong towards Tuanku.

“Azlan does not have the confidence of the assemblymen to become mentri besar, so let the law decide, and not others,” he added.

A palace source said there has not been any word from Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail for a meeting with the assemblymen.

“Tuanku is back from Kuala Lumpur, but no official events have been planned,” the source added yesterday.

However, Santan assemblyman Azizan Sulaiman said the assemblymen are prepared to meet with His Highness to clear the picture and explain the reasons for the impasse.

“The palace informed that the Ruler had agreed to accept an audience with all the assemblymen concerned, and now we are waiting for a suitable date to be fixed by the palace.

“All of us have no intention at all to commit treason, and in fact we are loyal to the Raja and hope the matter can be explained to His Highness and at the same time resolve the crisis,” he told Bernama.

Azizan said he would immediately inform the public after having an audience with Tuanku as the people too must know what actually transpired.

Perlis was thrown into turmoil when the nine assemblymen boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of Azlan as mentri besar on May 24.

Tuanku, enraged by the behaviour of the assemblymen, issued a statement saying 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.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the assemblymen should show respect to the Ruler for his choice.

He also said that any move to sack Azlan could only be made by the Umno supreme council after recommendation from the party’s disciplinary board.

In GE14, Barisan won 10 of the 15 state seats in Perlis.