I'm no puppet, Ismail Kassim tells Raja of Perlis

Tambun Tulang assemblyperson Ismail Kassim (above, extreme right) has dismissed concerns by the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail that he is merely a puppet.

Instead, Ismail said he once had been one of the top executives in the country as chairperson of the National Water Services Commission (Span).

"Tuanku does not know me, I was a big chairperson, not a diplomatic administrator, but chair of a commission. The commission is under the Agong.

"I was the only chairperson who received executive powers from the prime minister at the time. I had executive powers meaning I did not have to refer to the prime minister for every decision I made," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur last night.

Ismail was Span chairperson from November 2011 until October 2016.

He said his appointment also meant that he was a charismatic and credible individual.

Earlier today, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin said that he did not appoint Ismail as Perlis menteri besar because he feared he would be a puppet.

This was believed to be a veiled swipe at Ismail's brother, Perlis Umno chief Shahidan Kassim whom the monarch said should have contested a state seat if he wanted to be menteri besar.

Umno today boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of Perlis menteri besar Azlan Man whom the Raja had chosen.

Ismail said the issue of being a puppet should not be of any further concern as he has withdrawn his name as a menteri besar candidate, urging the Raja of Perlis to pick someone else but not him or Azlan. -Mkini