Perak MB said to be eyeing Cabinet post

IPOH: Speculation is rife that Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (pic) is aiming for a Cabinet post.

According to an official, Faizal, who is also the Tambun MP, is in talks with the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia leadership to move to the federal level.

“He has been spending most of his time in Kuala Lumpur since the political upheaval.

“We believe he is eyeing a Cabinet post, if not a deputy minister’s post. If he fails, he will still have the Mentri Besar’s post to fall back on, ” the official said.

The status of the state government is still uncertain after Bersatu left Pakatan Harapan.

Faizal, who is the Chenderiang assemblyman, said he was still performing his responsibilities as Mentri Besar and that he held majority support from state assemblymen.

He had two meetings with the Perak Sultan, once in Kuala Lumpur and the latest in Kuala Kangsar on Tuesday.

Perak Pakatan currently has the support of 29 assemblymen, who comprise 18 from DAP, six from Amanah, four from PKR, and the other being Umno member-turned-Independent Tualang Sekah assemblyman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohd Radzi.

Bersatu has two assemblymen in Faizal and Sungai Manik assemblyman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin, while Muafakat Nasional has 28 seats (Umno 25, PAS three).

A Pakatan state assemblyman, who did not want to be named, believes it is just a matter of time before Faizal breaks his silence.

“We don’t mind becoming the Opposition. We are just disappointed that he did not contact us to tell us straight, ” he said.

The assemblyman believes that Nolee Ashilin and Zainol Fadzi would follow Faizal, as they did after GE14 in support of Faizal as the Mentri Besar.