Looking for the right formula

 

IPOH: With the topsy-turvy political situation in the state, the big question is what will be the right “formula” to resolve the Perak conundrum.

As the various parties tried to come to grips with the fluid political scene since Friday’s collapse of the Perikatan Nasional state government, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) has thrown his party’s options wide open.

After an audience with Perak Ruler Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah here yesterday, he told reporters that Umno was willing to work with Pakatan Harapan and its arch-rival DAP.

In an immediate response, Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming said the party was prepared to join hands with Umno.

In the 59-seat State Assembly, Umno holds 25 seats, Bersatu five, PAS three, Gerakan one and Independent one.

The opposition has 24 seats – DAP (16), PKR (three) and Parti Amanah Negara (five).

If Umno joins forces with Pakatan, this will give them an overwhelming majority of 49 seats.

A source from Pakatan said it was willing to form a state government with Umno, on condition that DAP, not just PKR and Amanah, is included.

“With Ahmad Zahid’s remarks that Umno is willing to work with DAP, this is an indication that Perikatan and Muafakat Nasional is breaking up.

“With Umno considering other options, this means Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin needs to fulfil their (Umno) demands, otherwise Umno is prepared to break away, ” he added.

The source said the possibility of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia being willing to join forces with Perak Umno was slim, as Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu was ousted as the mentri besar with the help of Umno.

“Umno has 25 seats in the state assembly, and there is talk that one assemblyman from Bersatu will jump over, making it 26.

“But Umno will need four more on their side to have a simple majority of 30 to form the state government, ” he added.

Another source said the swearing-in of the new mentri besar could be as early as today or by tomorrow.

The source said there was also a probability of Umno, Bersatu and PAS maintaining their pact in Perak, but with a new mentri besar to be appointed from Umno.

“Factors concerning the Federal Government and that of other states working with the pact must be taken into consideration.

“At the same time, what happened in the state assembly must also be looked into, ” he added.

After Faizal lost a motion of confidence in him as mentri besar in the state assembly, he duly resigned on Saturday.

The motion was filed by Umno’s Pengkalan Baru assemblyman Datuk Abdul Manaf Hashim.

Of the 59 assemblymen, Faizal gained just 10 votes in his favour, with 48 voting against him and one abstaining.

Meanwhile, three Umno leaders are said to be in the running to be made the next mentri besar.

According to sources, they are state Umno chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad, former mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and Rungkup assemblyman Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya.

Saarani, the Kota Tampan assemblyman, is said to be the frontrunner.

He has served as exco member under three mentris besar – Tan Sri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali, Zambry, as well as the just dethroned Faizal.

Zambry, the Pangkor assemblyman, is a household name having served as mentri besar from 2009 to 2018.

Shahrul was an exco member during Zambry’s tenure and also under Faizal until the collapse of the latter’s state government.

He is an assemblyman under Ahmad Zahid’s Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency. - Star