Ready to serve: Saarani taking oath as Perak MB, making Perak the first state to swear in its MB, following GE15 results. — Bernama
KUALA KANGSAR: Perak Barisan Nasional was prepared to be in the Opposition but it would have been “stupid” not to take the offer from Pakatan Harapan to jointly form the state government, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
Saarani, who retained his Kota Tampan seat, said Barisan, with only nine state seats, could not ignore the offer by Pakatan to be a part of the state administration including getting the mentri besar post.
In Saturday’s polling, Barisan won nine seats in the 59-seat state assembly. Pakatan clinched 24 seats while Perikatan Nasional won 26.
With no coalition having the majority to form the state government, Saarani said the situation should not have been allowed to persist as the state budget needed to be passed.
“To ensure stability, Barisan needed to make a decision to form a unity state government for the sake of peace and prosperity.
“If there are parties offering us to be part of the government and we are also given a role to be part of the administration, of course I have to accept. Members will otherwise call me stupid for not doing so,” he told reporters yesterday after being sworn in as Perak Mentri Besar.
Saarani added that the Mentri Besar role was also suitable as it would give him the chance to proceed with the 2030 Perak Sejahtera Development Plan that was announced in June.
“As I have said before, we will need eight years to develop the state after the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
He said Barisan was also offered the post of the state assembly Speaker and three executive council positions.
Asked whether there were offers from Perikatan, Saarani said their coalition secretary Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin had asked him to meet with their chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu on forming the state government.
“At 10am (on Sunday), I met Peja (Ahmad Faizal) and Zainol Fadzi, informed them of the offer by Pakatan, and (asked) if they have an offer for me but by night time, there was still no offer,” he added.
Saarani said he also attended Umno’s political bureau committee meeting on Sunday and had asked party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi whether the state party would be tied to any decisions made at the federal level.
“I was told that if the state needs to do it (form the state government) first, we are allowed to do so.
“We have the mandate from the president and I informed the palace that we (Barisan) were ready to form a government with Pakatan.
“The decision may be shocking to some (members), but we will hold a state party liaison meeting to explain in detail the reason behind what is happening and this will then be explained to other party members,” he added.
Asked about deals made with Pakatan so that the state government would remain stable in view of the fact that Barisan held the least number of seats, Saarani said there were none.
“As long as we have a common goal of focusing on the welfare of the people and the development of the state, we can put aside our differences.
“We can always find a common point, whoever is in power, to only focus on the state and its people,” he added.
Earlier yesterday, Saarani and state DAP vice-chairman Dr Abdul Aziz Bari sought an audience with Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah at Istana Kinta in Ipoh.
They presented to the Sultan the number of state assemblymen required to form the new state government.
Three exco members will be sworn in at Istana Iskandariah today.
