IPOH – All Barisan Nasional assemblymen in Perak are fully behind their front-runner menteri besar candidate Datuk Saarani Mohamad.
In an Instagram post today, Rungkup assemblyman Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya quashed rumours of his own candidacy, and said he and his fellow party reps back the Kota Tampan assemblyman for the post.
“All of us Umno/BN assemblymen have come to a consensus to nominate Datuk Saarani, who is Perak Umno liaison chairman, as menteri besar.
“I request that we stop making any speculation and leave this to the wisdom of His Royal Highness the Perak sultan to decide who has the simple majority to be appointed menteri besar.”
Shahrul was one of the three senior Umno reps rumoured to be the party’s candidate for the menteri besar’s post following Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s ouster.
Saarani is considered by political pundits as a traditionalist, while Shahrul is thought to be among the new breed of Umno politicians.
Another name that has been bandied about is former menteri besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, who led the state administration prior to BN’s defeat in the 2018 general election.
However, sources close to Zambry said the Pangkor assemblyman has decided to give way to Saarani.
Umno has not submitted any names to Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, as the party’s central leadership is still negotiating with Perikatan Nasional partners on forming the state government.
Its Muafakat Nasional ally, PAS, at first threatened to pull out of any new Perak administration, but has reversed its decision and is now open to discussions.
Faizal on Saturday urged his supporters and Bersatu members in Johor not to seek revenge against their coalition partners.
Yesterday, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was granted an audience with Sultan Nazrin at Istana Kinta.
He told the media after the meeting that Umno will not discount the possibility of realigning its political alliance with Pakatan Harapan.
The three PH party leaders in Perak – DAP’s Nga Kor Ming, PKR’s Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak and Amanah’s Asmuni Awi – said they are open to the possibility of cooperating with Umno at the state level.
Today, more federal-level party meetings are expected to discuss the menteri besar crisis. – The Vibes, December 7, 2020
