The 10 Barisan Nasional backbenchers who ‘boycotted’ the Terengganu state assembly sitting yesterday, turned up at the morning sitting today.

The 10 rebel assemblypersons - all of whom are from Umno - were said to be involved in a plan to move a motion of no-confidence against Menteri Besar Ahmad Said.

They had said yesterday they will only attend the assembly sittings if their safety could be guaranteed after three of them received ‘death threats’ through SMSes on late Monday.

However Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is Umno president, ordered the state representatives yesterday to attend the state assembly sitting today - the last day of sitting.

The last day of the assembly session started promptly at 9.30am with all the 32 state assemblypersons in attendance - 24 from the BN and eight from the opposition PAS.

According to a Bernama report, the meeting proceeded smoothly, beginning with the question-and-answer session.

idris jusoh pc 250308 04 Former menteri besar and Jertih state representative Idris Jusoh ( photo ) confirmed to reporters that the 10 assemblypersons attended the sitting today after being instructed to do so by Najib.

He said a safety assurance by the police also was another reason.

Rosol Wahid (Ajil) meanwhile was reported to have said that he had submitted reports on the matter to Najib, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the Terengganu palace.

Rosol was one of the three state representatives who had received a life threatening SMS on Monday night, asking the trio to drop their plans to initiate a vote of no-confidence against MB Ahmad "if they valued their life".

The three had lodged a police report on the same day and along with seven others skipped the assembly sitting yesterday stating that they were worried for their safety.

MB unperturbed

Besieged state chief Ahmad meanwhile said that all assemblypersons should have a positive attitude and attend the assembly sitting in the interests of the party and people.

He also said that he was not worried of a vote of no-confidence against him.

ahmad said terengganu mb pc 230408 01 "I am not afraid. I have been up against such a thing before (during the time of his appointment as the menteri besar)," he said.

He also said that he had informed Najib yesterday about the absent state representatives, after which the prime minister instructed the 10 to attend sitting today.

Ahmad's appointment as the menteri besar, which came with the blessing of the Terengganu palace, did not go well with most of the Umno elected representatives who had wanted Idris to be retained in the post right after the general election last year.

However the palace was adamant in replacing Idris, much against the wish of the national leadership headed by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi then.

Abdullah had to give in to the palace and urged all Umno elected representatives aligned to Idris to support Ahmad.

In the aftermath of the messy battle for power, many Idris loyalists, including Rosol, were dropped from the state exco line-up by Ahmad.

The opposition to his leadership now is largely seen as an extension of the old tussle.

The 10 state representatives who were absent yesterday were former menteri besar Idris (Jertih), Muhammad Ramli Nuh (Tepuh), Mohd Zawawi Ismail (Kuala Berang), Abdul Halim Jusoh (Permaisuri), Din Adam (Bukit Besi), Rosol Wahid (Ajil), Alias Abdullah (Alur Limbat), Zakaria Abdullah (Paka), Ramlan Ali (Jabi) and Mohd Pehimi Yusof (Kota Putera).