RECENTLY, focus has been on the country's smallest following the crisis surrounding embattled Mentri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli who had earlier refused to step down despite apparent signals that it was time to let go.
It is learnt that Shukri was supposed to step aside in a ‘gentlemanly’ manner weeks earlier after it was clear that he was no longer in favour to lead the state.
He only decided to call it quits on Christmas Day upon returning from China on grounds of his ill health – not the numerous statutory declarations stating a loss of confidence 48-hours ago.
PAS decided to punish three out of its nine elected representatives for joining the five Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) assemblymen who were no longer confident in the leadership of Shukri, a former headmaster.
Prior to Shukri, the top post in the state was also riddled with issues with longest serving Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim being forced out despite a rather eye catching era to Datuk Seri Azlan Man, who was charged by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over alleged falsified claims.
However, the issue is not just confined to Shukri, but also due to the apparent riff between two allies in the Opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) front.
Despite PAS being slated to rule the state for the first time in its political history, Bersatu was said to also be aiming for the mentri besar post.
It is learnt that Bersatu had nominated three candidates from its five assemblymen with Kuala Perlis representative Abu Bakar Hamzah said to be among the leading contenders for the post.
PAS was obviously unhappy that its main ally since 2022, was hawking for an opportunity to lead the nation's smallest state whom former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed used to joke was smaller than his once held Kubang Pasu parliamentary constituency in Kedah.
This is said to have influenced the Islamist party to punish its own three backbenchers of Saad Seman (Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji) by sacking them from PAS immediately.
Appointed State Speaker Rus’sele Eizan, who is also said to be unpopular with some quarters, announced vacancies of three state seats and the need to call for state by-elections for the three seats.
The question now is whether PAS and Bersatu can mend their differences over Perlis.
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And would PAS be amenable to a revisit of the Muafakat Nasional pact with Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin-Umno.
Umno’s traditional allies of MCA and MIC have indicated their uneasiness over the conduct of the biggest Malay nationalistic party.
Umno is now facing a quandary as its arguably oldest statesman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah told the party to withdraw from the Madani national unity government after its former president and premier Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was denied a house arrest order.
And Perlis has yet to nominate Shukri's rightful successor with Santan representative Muhammad Azmir Azizan, touted as among those whom PAS will support as the replacement.
Perlis Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Rozabil Abul Rahman was playing it cool when comments were sought, saying that "look here, Umno has no seats in Perlis so we will not be drawn into the fray."
But Rozabil stated personally that Shukri somehow did not live up to the expectations.
"Perlis needs a strong leadership to carry its economic fortunes forward. It can no longer just be seen as a transit state where no person or capital stays over."
PKR whose president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the Prime Minister is also playing extra cool with its sole Indera Kayangan assemblyperson Gan Ay Ling, referring the matter to her party top leadership.
And Perlis should also not be a state where the mentri besar post is just seen as transitional.
It has a caring and well-informed ruler, who in his numerous royal decrees wants what's best for the state despite its relatively small size.
Politically, Perlis has punched above its weight with the likes of Shahidan, the former Dewan Negara President the late Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh, former Home Ministers Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid. - December 26, 2025.
