New Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said he would take advice from Mukhriz Mahathir provided it is in line with the policy of the top leadership.

He said Mukhriz was still the chairperson of the Kedah Umno liaison committee and he himself was the deputy chairperson.

“He (Mukhriz) is the chairperson and I, as the deputy chairperson, will have to take his advice so long as it is in line with the policy of the top leadership,” he told Bernama in an interview.

Ahmad Bashah took his oath of office as the 12th menteri besar of Kedah yesterday, replacing Mukhriz who resigned a day earlier citing loss of majority support in the state legislative assembly.

Mukhriz, when announcing his resignation as the menteri besar, said he would leave it to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to decide on his position as the chairperson of the state Umno liaison committee.

Ahmad Bashah said he realised that the recent political crisis in Kedah had caused a rift among Umno and Barisan Nasional supporters in the state, but expressed optimism that the problem would be resolved.

“I am convinced that this solidarity issue will be settled... but not so soon. It will take some time,” he said.

Ahmad Bashah reiterated that the move to remove Mukhriz as the menteri besar was not initiated by any particular quarters.

“It had been brewing for some time. It continued to worsen. Looking at the political situation, we felt we had to do something,” he said.

Ahmad Bashah had led several Kedah Umno divisional leaders, state assemblypersons and MPs in openly expressing no-confidence on Jan 20 in the leadership of Mukhriz as the menteri besar and chairperson of the state Umno liaison committee.

- Bernama