Today marks menteri besar Zambry Abd Kadir 100 days rule of Perak. However, it has been a tumultuous political road marred by controversies and a political storm that is still blowing across the silver state awaiting either for the court's decisions or the palace to bring calm to the state.

Zambry's 100 days in office seems to pale in comparison to Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin 100 days in office last year, when Nizar bashed in the limelight of publicity. zambry abdul kadir interview 200409 02

Zambry (right) faced resistance from the people who staged public protests from day-one when he was sworn in as the new menteri besar before Perak Sultan Azlan Shah in Kuala Kangsar on Feb 6.

On a publicity stunt

However, Zambry only took office on Feb 11 when he appointed his state executive council line-up of six executive councillors.

He also appointed three special advisers with the status of state executive councillors to look after the affairs of Malays, Chinese and Indians, which drew fire from state DAP secretary Nga Khor Ming alleging that the appointments were illegal and a waste of public funds.

As the state Barisan National (BN) ship sails into choppy political waters against the tide of dissent from the public, Zambry is trying to salvage the battered image of BN with a positive attitude.

He shrugged off the speculation that investors are shying away from Perak because of the political impasse.

"On the contrary, within the past three months, we have been able to bring in investments worth about RM700 million. Attempts are also being made to bring in investors from the Middle East and members of a Chinese trade delegation are set to meet him," he said.

"I think people are fed-up with too much politicking and want us to go back to business as usual and we need to focus on economic development of the state."

However, the political reality is that there is still a dark cloud hanging over the state on its course of direction to free itself from the political impasse.

dap perak setiawan dinner ceramah police raid 090509 04 Although BN has an iron grip on the state administration with the support of the federal government, civil service and the police, it has, however, lost the majority support of the public with its back-door entry into the state.

Perakians are now wondering whether PS means ‘Perak State' or ‘Police State'.

The political uncertainty climate in the state did not deter Zambry from continuing the reforms of administration to win back the support of the public.

Tactical changes

As Zambry takes charge of the state as Umno and BN chief, he is cracking the whip to bring reforms to the state civil service and state Umno members by setting up a committee to oversee the key performance index at the district and state levels.

Yesterday, Zambry had promised to cut all red tape and bureaucracy to make life easier for Perakians when they apply for land titles and other public services.

He has also activated the local councils which has been in doldrums since February and the swearing in ceremony is to take place in every district with Ipoh City leading the way and today Taiping Municipal Council is holding the swearing-in ceremony of councillors.

He is making moves to revive the Ipoh Airport from its deep slumber of 10 years to encourage more investors into the state.

While it has become the norm for BN and PR politicians to lodge and counter-lodge police reports against each other, Zambry distances himself from making such moves.

najib pc on nizar jamaluddin perak court case results 110509 01 Even when Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (right) told him to lodge a report against PR, Zambry did not obliged. Instead, he took a cautious approach.

Zambry seems to sense that he is on unstable political ground which may give way anytime either by the courts or other political developments in the state.

He is a down-to-earth person who is practical and rational. He has political maturity and a gift of the gap in voicing his concerns when BN was criticised during the 10-month rule of PR.

These are the positive factors that landed him the menteri besar post when Umno federal leaders chose him over two other key state Umno players.

While the political drama is being played, the voices of the people calling for fresh elections is getting louder by the day but there is only the sounds of silence from the state BN camp and the palace.