IPOH – Perak’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) representatives and their independent supporters have signed statutory declarations supporting Umno’s menteri besar candidate Datuk Saarani Mohamad and have presented the party’s mandate to state ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah.
PAS state commissioner Razman Zakaria told reporters after their audience in Istana Kinta that they are now waiting for the palace to confirm the numbers behind Saarani and whether or not the Kota Tampan assemblyman has the majority support.
“Today, we received a consensus agreement from our party leadership. We have conveyed at the state level (to the sultan) what was decided by the three presidents. Right now, we are waiting for Istana Kinta to confirm the numbers.
“We only brought the mandate that was decided by the three presidents during our audience and presented it to His Royal Highness,” said Razman, who is also the Gunung Semanggol assemblyman.
The two assemblymen who accompanied him to the palace were Selama assemblyman Mohd Akmal Kamaruddin and Kubu Gajah assemblyman Khalil Yahaya.
Later, Bersatu representatives led by Sg Manik assemblyman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said in a separate press conference that they had submitted five SDs to Sultan Nazrin backing Saarani.
The other SDs were signed by Kuala Kurau assemblyman Datuk Yunus Jamahari, Tualang Sekah assemblyman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi, Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong, and Buntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam.
“It is understood that Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu will seek an audience with His Royal Highness after this because right now he is attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting. He has to be there for the federal budget vote.
“This (SD supporting Saarani) is also an instruction given by Faizal as the Bersatu state chief in Perak,” said Zainol.
Umno had already made known their support for Saarani to the palace through its president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
With PAS and Bersatu’s backing, it seems that the Perak menteri besar stalemate is finally over after nearly a week’s worth of negotiations.
Last Friday, Faizal lost the confidence vote in the state assembly. He resigned on Saturday which automatically dissolves his state executive committee. – The Vibes, December 9, 2020
