Fifteen Barisan reps signed SD to back Saarani as new Perak MB, claims Bersatu

 

Datuk Saarani Mohamad speak at the state asssembly meeting.- Filepic

IPOH: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has claimed at least 15 Barisan Nasional assemblymen have signed statutory declarations (SD) to support state Umno chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad as the new Perak mentri besar.

State Bersatu secretary Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said the new candidate for the mentri besar was not a secret, as they were aware that Barisan would name Saarani to represent the party.

He said after the confidence motion was accepted at the state assembly, there was contact from Umno to Bersatu and independent assemblymen asking them for their support.

“An SD is done, and Umno assemblymen are asked to sign it, for Saarani as the MB candidate.

“It is no longer a secret, two or three days back they have met, and 15 of them have already signed the SD, ” he said.

Zainol said they (Bersatu) were aware that matters had reached that stage, but MB (Ahmad Faizal) did not take any drastic action in calling assemblymen for their support.

“He (Faizal) felt that the people should judge. He does not want to burden the people.

“If we wanted to take action, we could also lobby, but we did not do so, ” he added.

Zainol, who is also the Sungai Manik assemblymen, said he was disappointed, as the vote of no confidence against Ahmad Faizal was a form of betrayal.

“At the initial stage, we expected that PKR and Amanah would support rejecting this vote, but this time, an assemblyman from DAP got up.

“Although their (Barisan) argument is that they are not colluding with DAP, but how to deny this, as everyone saw who supported in rejecting this motion in the state assembly, ” he added.

He said Bersatu was well aware of the vote of confidence that was meant to support Faizal, but the real intention behind the vote proved to be the opposite.

However, according to him, Faizal has instructed all Bersatu assemblymen to calm down with whatever decision is made before the state assembly convenes again.

“Personally, I am impressed with the character of Faizal, who calmly asked us not to protest and follow the rules.

“He told us not to make a fuss, we just follow, that's why we don’t see there is any provocation," he said.

Faizal, who is the state assemblyman of Chenderiang, lost a motion of confidence as the Perak Mentri Besar at the state assembly.

He received 10 votes in favour, while 48 voted against him, and one abstained.

State Opposition leader Dr Abdul Aziz Bari called for a bloc vote of confidence and was supported by Umno's Bukit Chandan assemblyman, Maslin Sham Razman.

The Perak assembly comprises 25 Umno assemblymen, DAP (16), Bersatu (five), Amanah (five), PKR (three), PAS (three), one from Gerakan and one independent assemblyman. - Star