1 billion reasons Idris Jusoh was ousted

The truth is, Idris Jusoh wanted to put a ceiling of only RM200 million to His Highness the Sultan of Terengganu’s new palace on Bukit Cendering while Ahmad Said was prepared to spend more than RM1 billion. Hence, of course, His Highness the Sultan prefers Ahmad Said to Idris Jusoh as the Menteri Besar.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Idris Jusoh was the Menteri Besar of Terengganu for only one term from March 2004 to March 2008. Before March 2004, Tok Guru Hadi Awang, the PAS President, was the Menteri Besar, for also one term.

In March 2008, Ahmad Said replaced Idris Jusoh as the Menteri Besar and in May this year he was given a second term. And that can be considered as a great mystery to most people who personally know both Idris Jusoh and Ahmad Said because Idris Jusoh is intelligent (for Umno standards) while Ahmad Said is a nitwit (even for Umno standards).

In fact, Idris Jusoh is quite popular with the Umno members in Terengganu. Ahmad Said, as most of us already know, is not. (Remember the ‘natang’ anti-palace demonstration in 2008?)

In the May general election this year, Barisan Nasional won four parliament seats and the opposition also won four. Hence it was a ‘hung parliament’. Of the 32 state seats, the opposition won 15 and Barisan Nasional 17.

Then the state assemblyman for Besut died soon after that. And if PAS had managed to win that seat in the by-election that followed, the opposition would have controlled 16 state seats against Barisan Nasional’s 16 -- another ‘hung state parliament’ situation -- which probably meant that Terengganu may have needed to hold a new state election.

But Umno managed to retain the Besut state seat mainly due to Idris Jusoh. In fact, the one parliament seat and four state seats in Besut are Umno strongholds because of Idris Jusoh. If not because of Idris Jusoh, Terengganu would now be under opposition control.

So why is Ahmad Said and not Idris Jusoh the Menteri Besar of Terengganu? And why was Idris Jusoh removed after only one term while Ahmad Said was given a second term? And who was the person behind this?

The thing is, Idris Jusoh is not popular with His Highness the Sultan of Terengganu while Ahmad said is. And history has shown us that any Menteri Besar who is not popular with the Sultan does not get to serve a second term or even get to complete one term, never mind from which state it may be.

The common perception is that His Highness is pissed with Idris Jusoh big-time because of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s and Patrick Lim’s RM20 million a year money-wasting Monsoon Cup (which we reported about yesterday HERE). That, of course, is the spin.

The truth is, Idris Jusoh wanted to put a ceiling of only RM200 million to His Highness the Sultan of Terengganu’s new palace on Bukit Cendering while Ahmad Said was prepared to spend more than RM1 billion. Hence, of course, His Highness the Sultan prefers Ahmad Said to Idris Jusoh as the Menteri Besar.

And the bill, I was told, has already touched RM1 billion and has not stopped there. The bills are still coming in and with joy and glee Ahmad Said is approving all and every additional bill that comes in for payment. The front door of the palace alone costs RM350,000, an amount that could pay for the education of hundreds of poor fishermen and farmer children.

Well, Terengganu is the second richest state in Malaysia although its people are the second poorest. Hence they can afford a palace in excess of RM1 billion, which costs even more than the new Agong’s palace in the federal capital of Malaysia. And as long as Ahmad Said continues to approve all the bills plus dishes out mining and timber land to His Highness the Sultan’s friends and family members of his consort then he may yet be the longest serving Menteri Besar in Terengganu -- unless the state falls to the opposition in the next general election.

The Terengganu people know what is going on and they are angry and watching. And if Terengganu falls into the hands of the opposition come the next general election then Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has only himself to blame for allowing the Menteri Besar to spend billions on wastages such as palaces and dish out hundreds of millions in mining and timber concessions to the palace and those cronies within the palace circle.

Let it be known that Najib has been warned and he ignores this warning at his own peril.

Ahmad Said

Idris Jusoh

Umno members in Terengganu were outraged that Ahmad Said replaced Idris Jusoh as the Menteri Besar

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New Bukit Chendering Royal Palace named 'Syarqiyyah' Palace

(NST) - The new Bukit Chendering Royal Palace was officially named 'Syarqiyyah' Palace, meaning 'Permata Timur' or 'Jewel of the East'.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said announced the name consented by Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin during the palace's name officiation and flag raising ceremony held at the palace complex in Chendering here today.

Accompanying Ahmad were the state executive council members and state Speaker Mohd Zubir Embong.

In the morning event that started with prayers recitation and the 'adzan', state secretary Datuk Mazlan Ngah presented the Sultan's personal flag to Ahmad before it is was brought forward and hoisted up by eight policemen, with the Terengganu state anthem 'Selamat Sultan' playing alongside.

Located about 10km from the state capital, the new palace complex which is still under construction is expected to be completed by June next year. 

State Public Works Department director Datuk Shafii Mohamad said the palace project which started in November, 2006, involved a three-hectare area from the whole 42 hectares of the palace complex site.

Ahmad Said welcoming His Highness the Sultan of Terengganu to his new RM1 billion palace (pictures below)