Bersatu takes the reins in Perlis, PAS info chief sees red

 

Bersatu Perlis chief Abu Bakar Hamzah has been appointed as the new menteri besar.

The Kuala Perlis assemblyperson was sworn in before the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail at 4pm today.

He replaces PAS’ Shukri Ramli, who resigned as menteri besar last week, citing health reasons, amid an attempted coup.

Abu Bakar’s appointment signals that PAS - which had moved against three assemblypersons who backed efforts to oust Shukri - may have agreed to support the Bersatu state chief as menteri besar.

It also signals that the state monarch has chosen not to hold a state election, as some were anticipating.

Berita Harian reported that all sitting assemblypersons, including PKR’s Gan Ay Ling, were present at the swearing-in ceremony.

The three former PAS representatives, Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) dan Saad Seman (Chuping) - whose status as assemblypersons are in limbo - were not invited to the ceremony.

Their memberships had been forfeited by PAS, as a means to trigger the anti-hopping law at the state level, where representatives who quit a party are declared to have vacted their seats.

Perlis state speaker Rus’sele Eizan subsequently declared their seats vacant.

Precedent set by the six Bersatu defectors in Parliament and the Kelantan legislature regarding the forfeiture clause puts the final say on whether the anti-hopping law is enforced on the respective legislative speaker.

Bersatu only has five assemblypersons in Perlis, while PAS currently has six. Eight assemblypersons are needed for a simple majority.

Gan had previously said she was committed to supporting the new Perlis government for the sake of political stability and the people’s well-being.

She is the sole non-Perikatan Nasional assemblyperson in the state.

Rocky ties with ex-MB

Abu Bakar has had a tenuous relationship with Shukri in the past.

Shukri Ramli

In Nov 2023, he kicked up a fuss about not being in the exco line-up. The matter was only resolved a year later.

Bersatu’s central leadership has denied involvement in any efforts to change the Perlis state government.

However, it comes at a time when PAS has signalled that it is ready to take over the PN leadership from Bersatu.

Meanwhile, in a veiled Facebook post not long after Abu Bakar was sworn in, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari appeared to vent his frustration at the development.

“Friend eats friend. It means the friend has chosen to become a foe,” he said without elaborating. - Mkini