Melaka govt has fallen, says former CM after exodus

 

Idris Haron has led an exodus of three exco men and an assemblyman, leaving the state government without a majority in the assembly. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: After a week of speculation, the Melaka state government led by chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali has fallen.

In a press conference today, former Melaka chief minister and Sungai Udang assemblyman Idris Haron, from Umno, announced that the state government had fallen after three executive councillors resigned and an Umno assemblyman withdrew his support for Sulaiman’s leadership.

“We have resigned. This signifies that the state government has a deficit in support,” said Idris, who is one of the three executive councillors to quit.

The other two are former DAP man Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu) and Bersatu’s Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas).

Meanwhile, Umno’s Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor) retracted his support for the state government. All three assemblymen joined Idris at the press conference.

“We know there are 11 assemblymen in the opposition who do not support the government, and with the four of us, it shows that the state government has lost its majority,” he said.

The Melaka state assembly has 28 seats.

Idris said he remains in Umno and was ready to face any consequences over his actions, but stood by the decision in the interest of Melakans.

He said several government decisions had put Melaka in a “gridlock”, adding that there seemed to be “two lions on one mountain” in the current administration. He did not elaborate on what he meant by that.

“For now, we want to state that the four of us, along with the PH leadership, do not support the state government’s leadership.”

Last Friday, FMT reported that there was speculation that some Barisan Nasional and Bersatu assemblymen were planning to withdraw their support for Sulaiman’s government within the next few weeks.

The move is said to have come after two months of negotiations between Pakatan Harapan and the four state assemblymen from BN and Bersatu.

Rembia assemblyman Muhammad Jailani Khamis, meanwhile, claimed a former chief minister was making moves to regain the post, after being booted out by the people.

“Personal vanity overcomes rationality. The former chief minister wants to become chief minister again,” Jailani, who is also an executive councillor, told FMT last week.

All eyes had then been on former chief minister Adly Zahari who had been ousted by Sulaiman – until Idris’ sudden press conference.

Meanwhile, Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the top leadership would be issuing a statement on the matter later. - FMT