'Terengganu speaker must accept no confidence vote against MB'

Terengganu state assembly speaker Mohd Zubir Embung should accept any motion of no-confidence against Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman like the one tabled by former MB Ahmad Said recently.

This, according to political analyst Mazlee Malik, is because recent developments which saw Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin stripping all royal titles conferred by the state from Ahmad Razif, has by and large affected the MB's standing.

"This concerns the integrity of the position, so it is best for the speaker to accept Ahmad's motion of no-confidence against the MB," Mazlee told Malaysiakini.

Last month Ahmad who is Kijal assemblyperson, filed a motion of no-confidence against Ahmad Razif, but the motion was rejected by the speaker.

Asked if Umno can salvage the situation by dissolving the legislative assembly and going for snap polls, Mazlee said that it was up to Ahmad Razif as MB.

"It is up to him to opt for a dissolution if the sultan agrees to it. But if it's just the replacement of the MB, it won't be required," he said.

Some analysts predict that the Terengganu BN will face a crisis with recent developments as it only has a narrow margin of a mere two seats.

BN currently holds 17 seats in the the state legislature, while the opposition has 15 - 14 from PAS and one from PKR.

Mazlee is also skeptical that a unity government with the opposition, specifically with PAS, will succeed.

The major contention he said, would be whether if the two parties could agree on who would their candidate for MB.

Ahmad Razif, who is Seberang Takir assemblyperson, took his oath of office as MB replacing Ahmad in May 2014 following instructions from the central Umno leadership.

Last Friday, the Terengganu Sultan stripped Ahmad Razif of all his state awards, as proclaimed in a statement released by the palace.

However the statement added that this had nothing to do with other recent developments in the state. -Mkini