Hamzah calls for calm in Perlis political crisis

The opposition leader says the matter must be dealt with practically.

PN deputy chairman Hamzah Zainudin said any decision in regards to the Perlis political crisis must take into account the interest of the people and the state.

PETALING JAYA:

 Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has called for calm following the political crisis in PAS-led Perlis which has led to its menteri besar resigning.

Hamzah, who is also the Perikatan Nasional deputy chairman, said the matter must be dealt with practically.

“Any decision must be made with the interest of the people and the state in mind,” he said in a statement.

He also said the people had full confidence in the Raja of Perlis to appoint a new menteri besar.

“The priority should be on making sure the Perlis government can continue to function properly and focus on the rakyat’s welfare and needs, in line with the mandate given to Perikatan Nasional in GE15,” he said.

Hamzah’s statement followed an announcement by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang that the party has submitted its list of candidates for the menteri besar’s post.

Hadi also said it was up to Bersatu to decide whether to discipline five of its Perlis assemblymen who withdrew support for menteri besar Shukri Ramli, leading to the political crisis.

His remarks came amid growing tensions within PN following the collapse of support for Shukri, who resigned as menteri besar yesterday, citing health reasons.

PAS had earlier terminated the membership of its three Perlis assemblymen – Saad Seman (Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji) – for allegedly joining their Bersatu counterparts in submitting statutory declarations to the state’s ruler to withdraw support for Shukri.

The five assemblymen from Bersatu allegedly are Abu Bakar Hamzah (Kuala Perlis), Izizam Ibrahim (Titi Tinggi), Megat Hashirat Hassan (Pauh), Wan Zikri Afthar Ishak (Tambun Tulang) and Marzita Mansor (Sena).

After news of the SDs broke out, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari urged Bersatu to take disciplinary action against its assemblymen. - FMT