With former warlords gone, less politicking for Perlis Umno: Rozabil

KANGAR – Perlis Umno is more united now without the former warlords who dominated the state’s politics for the last three decades, said state party liaison committee chief Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman.

“It is now a period of renewal and reflection within the party geared towards helping the state grow its economy and reduce time spent on politicking,” Rozabil told The Vibes.

He also confirmed his appointment as Perlis Umno liaison chief following Umno’s recently concluded elections. 

The post was formerly held by Datuk Azlan Man, the former Perlis menteri besar who was charged with corruption last week.

Rozabil, who also heads Umno’s Arau division in the tiny state, said he enjoys a close rapport with the new division heads for Kangar and Padang Besar.

Datuk Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, a former Umno Supreme Council member, is the Kangar Umno division head, while former state executive councillor Ruzaini Rais is the new Padang Besar division chief, following the party elections earlier this year.

“For the first time in 30 years, all three heads can sit together and discuss the way forward. No more mini-kingdoms in Perlis and no more egos,” said Rozabil, who became Arau division chief, replacing Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim after the latter was sacked from Umno in November. Shahidan stood as a Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate in the 15th general election. 

Rozabil said he has an economic growth masterplan for the state, which he will unveil in stages soon.

The three divisions in Perlis were led by strongmen for the last few decades, leading to rifts and politicking, which some say was a factor in Barisan Nasional (BN) losing control of the state for the first time in over 60 years.

Since the 1990s until last year, these warlords have been Shahidan (Arau), Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad (Kangar), and Tan Sri Azmi Khalid (Padang Besar) – all of whom had also served as senior ministers and in the Umno leadership.

Former Perlis Umno chief Azlan, who was also the former Kangar division chief, lost his bid to defend his division post in the recent Umno elections.

Last week, he pleaded not guilty to a total of ten counts of corruption, for falsifying overseas travel claims and for money laundering.

Following BN’s loss of Perlis to PN in the general election last November, the eighth menteri besar is Mohd Shukri Ramli, the Perlis PAS commissioner.

PN has a supermajority in the Perlis assembly, with 14 out of the 15 seats. As such, Perlis Umno is looking to regroup after losing the state. – The Vibes, April 15, 2023