PETALING JAYA - The crisis in Terengganu was resolved quickly because of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s “firmness” in doing what was necessary to keep Barisan Nasional (BN) in power over the east coast state, former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said today.
The ruling pact momentarily became a minority government in Terengganu on Tuesday, but was saved yesterday by Najib’s apology to Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, who was forced step down as mentri besar mid-term, reportedly due to the pact’s weakest polls performance in a decade.
Ahmad and Ajil assemblyman Ghazali Taib shocked their party members on Monday when they both announced their resignations from Umno to become independent state lawmakers. The announcement came shortly after Ahmad’s replacement, Datuk Ahmad Razif, was sworn in as mentri besar.
“Overall I see firmness in the prime minister’s leadership on what was promised and this wouldn’t have been resolved without firmness in the prime minister’s decision.
“In this case, he has already given one year of flexibility, which a lot of people are not aware of, he has given one year grace period, and after that period ended, the prime minister took action,” he told reporters after officiating the 18th Malaysian Education Summit 2014 at the Sunway Medical Centre.
On Tuesday, another state lawmaker also declared himself an independent representative, turning BN into a minority government for just under 48 hours, with the ruling coalition seeing its slim 17-seat majority in the 32-seat Terengganu legislative assembly whittled down to 14.
The opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) holds 15 seats.
But the crisis was officially declared over yesterday when all three lawmakers returned to Umno’s fold, and the ruling party safely settled back into government with its three-seat majority.
Today, Idris also dismissed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s remarks that the two-day political crisis in Terengganu was caused by the “weak” leaders in Umno’s top tier who trampled on the feelings of their subordinates.
The Education Minister II said “a lot of things can happen” if Najib was not firm.
When asked if the prime minister was under pressure from his party, Idris stressed it was his “personality” and “leadership” that led him to resolve this crisis so quickly.
Yesterday, it was reported that Ahmad and Najib exchanged apologies over a wedding “misunderstanding”, effectively defusing the political powder-keg that threatened to plunge Terengganu into an administrative crisis.
In a hastily-convened press conference in his home town in Kemaman, Ahmad confirmed that he, along with Ghazali and Roslee Daud have all rejoined Umno after the prime minister apologised — less than 48 hours after they announced their exit from the party.
He added that the misunderstanding started because Najib had mistakenly thought Ahmad’s daughter’s wedding — which was to have taken place at the official residence of the Terengganu mentri besar — would have been over by May 10, not knowing that there was another ceremony slated for May 17.
Ahmad, who was reappointed Terengganu mentri besar for a second term on May 9 last year, was forced to step down from office before his term ends.
The embattled lawmaker claimed he had asked PM Najib to allow him to step down as mentri besar after his daughter’s wedding reception on May 17 but the Umno president reportedly disregarded the request as a “personal matter”, prompting Ahmad to quit the party.
-Malaymail
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