'REVENGEFUL' NAJIB CAMP STARTS SCARE TACTICS IN UMNO: EX-TERENGGANU MB LOSES FUNDING AFTER NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION BID

KUALA LUMPUR - The Terengganu government has stopped channeling funds to Datuk Seri Ahmad Said for his constituency programmes, a week after the former mentri besar sought a no-confidence vote against his successor Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman in the state assembly.

According to a New Straits Times report, the funds will now be managed by the Kemaman district office instead, and that a notice of suspension was issued by the state secretary’s office on March 9.

The NST report stated that out of the RM542,000 allocation, RM492,852 was meant to be utilised by the Kijal assemblyman in a six-month period for general programmes, while the remaining RM50,000 was to be spent on youth programmes.

“Monetary allocations for constituencies held by the opposition are always managed by the respective coordinators approved by the government. They receive the allocations through the respective district offices.

“Ahmad Said is the first BN assemblyman in the state whose allocations have been suspended while the government is under BN control. This may set a new precedent, which may lead to political consequences,” a source familiar with the matter was quoted saying.

The report added that Kijal Umno members have sent a protest note on the matter to Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Ex-Terengganu MB Ahmad tabled a motion of no-confidence against his replacement in the state assembly earlier this month, but the motion was rejected after Terengganu assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Zubir Embong refused to allow the matter to be heard.

The Speaker was quoted as saying Ahmad failed to follow procedure when he made the proposal.

Ahmad, together with two Umno assemblymen in Terengganu, had temporarily resigned from the Malay ruling party shortly after he was forced out of office, causing Barisan Nasional (BN) to become a minority government for just under 48 hours.

The crisis was resolved when all three lawmakers returned to Umno after Prime Minister Najib resolved matters with Ahmad.

During the short-lived Terengganu crisis in 2014, BN became a minority government when its 17 seats in the 32-seat state legislative assembly dropped to 14 after the resignations of three Umno assemblymen. The opposition holds 15 seats.

Umno holds 17 seats, PAS 14 and PKR one. - Malay Mail