KUALA LUMPUR – Umno, Bersatu and PAS have agreed to propose Datuk Saarani Mohamad as Perak menteri besar candidate, following a leadership meeting between the parties this afternoon.
In a joint statement, the parties’ secretaries-general said this is in the spirit of cooperation within Perikatan Nasional.
State Umno liaison committee chief Saarani’s name will be presented to Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, they said.
Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi apologised on behalf of the coalition’s assemblymen for the “mistake”, according to the statement.
“The meeting today also reached a consensus on other appointments in the state government.
“The three parties agreed to consolidate cooperation between PN parties in Perak and at the national level, for the sake of political stability and the well-being of the people.”
The statement was signed by Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin of Bersatu, Tan Sri Annuar Musa (BN) and Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS).
Last Friday, the Perak government fell after Chenderiang rep Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu lost a confidence vote in the state assembly.
Umno’s Temenggor assemblyman, Salbiah Mohamed, and DAP’s Howard Lee (Pasir Pinji) had both filed emergency motions for the confidence vote.
On November 18, Umno’s Pengkalan Baharu rep, Datuk Abdul Manaf Hashim, filed a motion of confidence through a letter to Perak Speaker Datuk Mohamad Zahir Abdul Khalid.
Faizal announced his resignation at Laman Seri Perak, the old menteri besar’s residence, on Saturday.
The crisis has caused rifts between PN components, with Umno president Zahid saying the party is willing to consider new political alignments if a PN state government fails to materialise.
On Monday, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said the party leadership has unanimously agreed on Saarani being its candidate for the menteri besar’s post.
In the Dewan Rakyat today, Faizal caused a commotion during a debate speech, when he quipped that the Perak political crisis has been resolved.
He said he learnt about this from Zahid and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang. – The Vibes, December 9, 2020
