'Shahidan didn't know Azlan was Umno's choice for Perlis MB'

Perlis BN chairperson Shahidan Kassim did not know that Azlan Man was chosen by the party’s top leadership to be appointed menteri besar, according to Perlis Umno Youth chief Syed Atif Syed Abu Bakar.

He said the crisis in the state might not have happened and that Shahidan and the nine BN assemblymen might have responded differently if they knew that Azlan had been the preferred choice of the party leadership to be appointed as the menteri besar of Perlis.

Syed Atif claimed that on May 22, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Hishammuddin Hussein, as the top leaders of Umno, had an audience with the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail to present the list of potential candidates to be appointed as menteri besar.

“There were two names in the list, namely Azlan and Ismail Kassim. Reliable sources said that both Zahid and Hishammuddin agreed that Azlan be appointed as the menteri besar of Perlis.

“However, Shahidan and all the other BN assemblypersons in Perlis were not informed of the decision, causing them to continue giving their support to Ismail,” he said in a statement here today.

Syed Atif said without knowing about the approval and decision made by the party’s top leadership, Perlis BN assemblypersons jumped to conclusion that Azlan had acted in total disregard of the party when he accepted the appointment.

The proposal for Azlan’s immediate expulsion from the party was made last Thursday, right after he was sworn in as the menteri besar of Perlis for the second term at the Istana Arau.

Syed Atif said right before the announcement of Azlan’s expulsion, a meeting with BN top leadership was held in Kuala Lumpur.

“At that moment, the assemblypersons were torn between attending the swearing-in ceremony and the call to meet with the party’s top leadership in Kuala Lumpur as both events took place at almost the same time.

“However, the nine BN assemblypersons opted to attend the meeting to discuss and listen to the message from the party’s top leadership,” he said.

Shahidan had earlier announced that Ismail would be appointed as menteri besar after BN won 10 out of the 15 state seats in Perlis in the May 9 general election.

- Bernama