POST-ELECTION DRAMA: Shahidan is out, Perak breaks impasse, Mukhriz letter bombshell

POST-ELECTION DRAMA: Shahidan is out, Perak breaks impasse, Mukhriz letter bombshell
Posted by Raja Petra
Sunday, 16 March 2008, MT

The Raja Perlis has gone against the wishes of the Prime Minister by consenting to the appointment of Bintong assemblyman Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu as the new Menteri Besar of Perlis, in place of embattled Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who had Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's mandate to continue as MB. Political observers say the difficult situation could lead to a constitutional crisis.

The confidential secretary to the Raja Perlis, Mohd Adib Zakaria who distributed the statement to that effect to reporters in front of Istana Siraj, said the appointment was made under Article 39 (2) of the Laws of the Constitution of Perlis.

Under this provision, the ruler shall appoint a person who he thinks has the confidence of the majority of the members of the state assembly to become the Menteri besar to head the state government.

“Based on this provision and after being satisfied with his ability to garner the support of the majority of the state assemblymen, His Royal Highness has consented to appoint Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu as the Menteri Besar of Perlis effective March 14 2008,” he said.

Dr Md Isa was a Perlis state executive councillor until 2004 when he was not re-nominated to contest in the general election that year. He was nominated to contest in Bintong in the general election last Saturday and won the seat by defeating PAS’ Mohd Anuar Mohd Tahir with a majority of 2,110 votes. He polled 4,882 votes against Mohd Anuar’s 2,772.

The Ruler's move totally floored Shahidan, more so after the effort he made to secure the MB's appointment from Abdullah.

While he was resigned to the fact that he had to accept the Raja Perlis' ruling, he made an open rebuke to Dr Md Isa, whom he warned that by accepting the MB's post, the latter went against the Umno president and the party's wishes. He also blamed bitter rivals Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid for engineering the coup.

In other incidents nationwide:

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s coy play earlier this week seeking the Prime Minister to “do the right thing” has bloomed into what the phrase really meant: a letter circulated among Umno members and played up by the blogs has Mukhriz categorically pleading to Abdullah to resign and take responsibility for BN’s dismal performance for the sake of Umno's survival. Later in the evening, Abdullah told Bernama that he will leave it to Umno Youth to take action against Mukhriz, the movement's Exco member. In Putrajaya, Umno vice-presidents Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam worry that Mukhriz’s action would only further divide the party. Puteri Umno lodged a police report over posters strung up in the city that called for the PM’s resignation. Its chief Datuk Noraini Ahmad regretted that irresponsible elements were trying to link Puteri Umno to the deed.

GEORGE TOWN: About 1,000 Umno members demonstrated in Komtar where the Chief Minister’s office is located at 2.15pm, immediately after Friday prayers. The demonstrators shouted slogans, from urging the Lim Guan Eng administration not to scrap the NEP to pledging support for Datuk Seri Ahmad Badawi’s administration, led by Umno Bukit Mertajam division chief Datuk Musa Shaikh Fadzir. The peaceful assembly later dispersed after the police gave the order.

IPOH: The fiasco in Perak where the DAP-PKR-Pas triumvirate has not even kick-started their administration continues as haggling on State Exco seat allocation, with DAP demanding a lion’s share after reluctantly agreeing to Pas’ Nizar Jamaluddin, has dismayed the Ruler. However, the impasse is set to be broken after 31 assemblymen from the three parties collectively signed a letter agreeing to cooperate in forming a coalition state government and also agreeing to Nizar as Mentri Besar. The letter was handed over to the Sultan of Perak's confidential secretary Datuk Abdul Rahim Mohamad Nor at 10 pm last night. PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said with an understanding reached, the three parties should now focus on administering the state with honesty and sensitivity to people’s problems and needs. Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali also welcomed the consensus.

GEORGE TOWN: Following the Umno-led attacks against the fledgling Lim Guan Eng administration, Lim met Malay NGOs, assuring them that the DAP-led administration will never scrapped the NEP, only the abuses that has led to cronyism and corruption. Former CM Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon echoed Lim’s aghast against the Penang Umno’s call that the Federal Government scrap mega projects in the state on grounds voters rejected the BN government.

KUALA TERENGGANU: Umno is still undecided as to who should become Mentri Besar after Datuk Idris Jusoh seemed unable to garner support to continue with his stewardship. It would seem that several Umno assemblymen not in favour of Idris have muster enough influence on the palace to withhold consent. The Sultan of Terengganu, who is also the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is expected to be back on Saturday to make a decision.

SHAH ALAM: Newly-minted Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim is going to get a briefing from state auditors on the changes and movement of assets that he intends to implement. The former Guthrie CEO hopes to stop speculation on why documents may have been destroyed at the secretariat. “We want to be professional about it and aware before we take next steps,” he said. Selangor State Secretary Datuk Ramli Mahmud appeared to have alleviated the allegation that former MB Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo inked a deal after dissolution with Puncak Niaga to operate and maintain a water treatment plant. Ramli claimed that it was he who signed the deal, witnessed by his deputy.

SHAH ALAM: Selangor Pas and Umno leaders held secret meetings here immediately after the BN Selangor Government fell to the opposition but Pas assemblymen insisted that they never had any intention of deserting the coalition. MP for Shah Alam Khalid Abd Samad said Pas commissioner Datuk Dr Mohd Hassan Mohd Ali attended a meeting with Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo to pre-empt any attempt by Umno to used foul means to nullify the election.

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no urgency for Internal Security Act detainee M. Manoharan, who won a Selangor state seat, to be sworn in. “There is no urgency because he is not being made an executive councillor, so the oath taking can wait until after he is released. For now, there is nothing we can do, his detention is a political issue,” Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said. Manoharan, under detention at the Kamunting Detention Camp for his involvement in the Hindu Rights Action Force, won the Kota Alam Shah seat with a 7,184-vote majority. Khalid said the Opposition will call for the repeal of the ISA in Parliament.