Umno is open to cooperating with PKR and Amanah to form Perak govt, but not DAP, says Nazri

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno is open to cooperating with PKR and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) to form the next state government in Perak, says former Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

“Now that he (Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu) has lost the vote of confidence, we are open to work with Amanah and PKR at the state level, ” he said when contacted.

“But, DAP is a no. DAP is still difficult there, ” he stressed.

Nazri pointed out that Umno has 25 assemblymen, PKR (three) and Amanah has five respectively, which brings up their numbers to 33 in the 59-member state assembly.

“So, that’s a more than comfortable majority. Maybe we can work? But we haven’t decided yet. Everything is new and anything is possible, ” he said.

He also said that it is unsurprising for PAS, its ally in the Muafakat Nasional pact, to vote in favour of Faizal during the confidence motion in the State Assembly earlier Friday (Dec 4).

This was because PAS is already in a formal pact with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in Perikatan Nasional, which currently leads the Federal Government.

“In politics, nothing should surprise us anymore, ” he added.

The Padang Rengas MP also said that Faizal’s ouster as Mentri Besar was expected, given a series of unsavoury events between Umno and Bersatu that eventually climaxed after Faizal appointed Pengkalan Hulu assemblyman Datuk Aznel Ibrahim as his new political secretary.

He also said that Umno and Bersatu had issues when it came to the appointment of village chiefs recently.

“We are not happy with the distribution of village chief positions. The final straw is the appointment of Aznel without consulting us," said Nazri.

Following Aznel’s appointment, Nazri said Perak Umno made a decision in a meeting last Friday to bring forward the confidence motion against Faizal’s leadership as Mentri Besar to be debated in the state assembly on Friday (Dec 4).

“Then Umno decided to vote against the Mentri Besar, as what is seen today (Dec 4).”

On Friday, Faizal lost the motion of confidence in him as Perak Mentri Besar after receiving ten votes in favour, while 48 voted against him and one abstained in a bloc vote.