KUALA KANGSAR – PAS’ decision to snub the royal summons by Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah on Tuesday may have resulted in them not being granted any position in the state executive council.
Even though they had quickly backtracked on the decision and were granted an audience with the sultan on Wednesday, their efforts may have been too little too late.
It was very telling when there was no PAS assemblyman in the swearing-in of executive councillors by Sultan Nazrin yesterday, despite the fact that they are part of the ruling Perikatan Nasional administration.
Out of the five reps that took the oath of office under Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad’s administration – four are Umno members and one from Bersatu.
The Perak constitution requires at least one menteri besar and four excos to form an administration. However, it also allows for a maximum of 10 excos to administer the state.
Currently, it is believed that negotiations are still ongoing for the other five exco positions.
Party sources told The Vibes that after realising that none of his party members were granted positions as executive councillors, president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had made overtures for an audience with the Perak ruler.
A letter had apparently been sent to the palace yesterday requesting time, date and venue convenient to the sultan.
“Tok guru (Hadi) wants to explain to Sultan Nazrin what had happened earlier. He was also advised to seek His Royal Highness’ forgiveness over the perceived snub,” the source said.
In a report by Free Malaysia Today, Perak PAS state commissioner Razman Zakaria had said that selecting executive councillor candidates is the prerogative of the menteri besar.
Razman, who is also Gunung Semanggol assemblyman, said he was confident that Saarani will not leave PAS out of the executive council.
Despite his belief in Saarani, one must not forget that the royal institution has a very important role to play when it comes to the appointment of excos.
Dewan Negara Perak member Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini explained that while it is true that the menteri besar has the right to propose his exco candidates, those candidates must obtain the sultan’s consent.
“The menteri besar can propose his candidates but it is the sultan who approves it. Once the sultan has given his consent, they can then take their oath of office and be sworn in before the sultan. Only then are they considered to be officially appointed as executive councillors,” Annuar said.
Originally, PAS’ three state assemblymen were slotted to meet Sultan Nazrin on Tuesday at 3pm, where they were supposed to endorse Saarani as Umno’s candidate for menteri besar.
However, they later made a request to withdraw their audience with the ruler due to instructions from the party’s central leadership.
Once the news was out, the Islamic party was lambasted by social media users, with many describing their actions as “rude” and “disrespecting and insulting the royal institution”.
On Wednesday, PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said in a statement that the central leadership had instructed Razman to request another audience.
Razman was granted the audience together with Selama rep Mohd Akmal Kamaruddin and Kubu Gajah rep Khalil Yahaya, where they presented their statutory declaration in support of Saarani. – The Vibes, December 11, 2020
