Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is learnt to be having an urgent meeting with his candidate for the Terengganu menteri besar post, Idris Jusoh at Sri Perdana in Putrajaya now.

abdullah ahmad badawi and idris jusoh and ahmad said and terengganu Earlier the premier had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is also Sultan of Terengganu, over the controversy surrounding the appointment of Terengganu menteri besar.

It is reliably learnt that after the audience with the sultan, Abdullah had agreed with the appointment of the palace-backed Ahmad Said for the post in place of Idris, the incumbent MB.

The hour-long meeting between Abdullah and Idris was later confirmed Terengganu state Umno secretary Rosol Wahid, who however was unable to give any other information.

Earlier Abdullah was insistent that Idris was made the menteri besar, calling the appointment of Ahmad unconstitutional.

Ahmad, who received his appointment letter from the Terengganu palace on Sunday, assumed office yesterday although he has not been sworn in yet.

He also faces the sack from Umno for assuming the post against the wishes of the party.

Compromise candidate rejected

Both Abdullah and Idris did not hold a press conference today on the matter. Officials close to them are also refusing to confirm anything.

However unconfirmed reports, as reported by popular bloggers, suggest that the sultan asked Abdullah questions pertaining to the distribution of the Petronas’ RM1 billion wang ehsan through Idris for development in the state.

The sultan is also said to have asked why the state remained poor despite the wang ehsan .

Other sources also said that Abdullah apologised for the controversy created over the appointment of menteri besar. Apparently Abdullah told the sultan that there was no intention to disparage or humiliate the royal palace.

It is also believed that Abdullah also offered a neutral candidate - Chukai state representative Mohamed Awang Tera - to solve the problem, a compromise which was rejected by the sultan who insisted on Ahmad’s appointment.