PETALING JAYA: The Perlis state assembly will be dissolved if any representative pushes for a vote of no confidence against him, says Mentri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah (pic).
He said the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, had entrusted him to run the state, and that he would remain in office unless a no-confidence motion is tabled in the state assembly.
“I will have no choice but to dissolve the state assembly if there are attempts to topple me as the Mentri Besar.
“If a vote of no confidence (against me) takes place in the state assembly, I will dissolve it; this is my decision,” Abu Bakar told reporters after launching the Kuala Perlis Citrawarna event.
The Perlis State Legislative Assembly will convene next month.
He was asked to comment on a statement by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang that the party intends to review its cooperation with Bersatu.
Abdul Hadi had listed the “betrayal by Bersatu representatives in Perlis” – who ousted then mentri besar Mohd Shukri Ramli of PAS and replaced him with Abu Bakar who is from Bersatu – as one of the reasons for the review.
The Mentri Besar said that the Perikatan Nasional government in Perlis remains intact and that it is business as usual.
“We still maintain our relationship (between Bersatu and PAS) within Perikatan.
“There will sometimes be rumours and pacts in politics; we cannot take those into account. Political development is always shifting and changing.
“I was entrusted by the Raja of Perlis to defend the Perikatan state government and my appointment as the Mentri Besar was also on Perikatan’s capacity,” said Abu Bakar.
Perlis had postponed its state assembly sitting which was supposed to commence on April 21.
The relationship between PAS and Bersatu have strained since last December after eight state assemblymen – five from Bersatu and three from PAS – signed statutory declarations retracting their support for Mohd Shukri.
The three PAS reps were sacked from their party soon after.
Mohd Shukri resigned on Dec 26, citing health reasons and was replaced by Abu Bakar on Dec 28.
PAS leaders had criticised Bersatu over this, which later led to the resignation of Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Perikatan chairman.
