Kedah govt unaffected by Umno pullout, says MB

 

Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor claimed that Umno’s withdrawal of support from the Perikatan Nasional government will have no effect on the Kedah government.

Sanusi said that this was due to the heavy presence of PAS leadership in the state, with the party holding the majority of Kedah’s parliamentary seats.

“In Kedah, there is no issue (of changing government). PAS has 15 seats and Bersatu holds six seats, while Umno’s two seats makes it an overall of 23 seats.

“A simple majority needs only 19 seats. It does not have any effect over Kedah,” Sanusi told Berita Harian today.

This follows Umno’s announcement through a live broadcast yesterday that it would be withdrawing its support from the Perikatan Nasional government and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

So far, a reported 11 Umno MPs have confirmed withdrawing their support, while Shamsul Anuar Nasarah resigned as water and natural resources minister on the same day.

Sanusi, who is also PAS’ election director, was sworn in as Kedah MB in May 2020, after the state’s last Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir was ousted from his post.

Sanusi’s term as Kedah MB has not been without controversy, with heated disputes over the demolition of a Hindu temple last year, the cancellation of Thaipusam as a state public holiday and the Sungai Muda water dispute with the Penang state government.

The latest incident involving the Kedah MB occurred in June when he was spotted violating SOP while test driving a vehicle at a Penang showroom. He was subsequently fined despite claiming that he was not behind the wheel. - Mkini