Azizan Abdul Razak today insisted that he was fit to remain as the Kedah menteri besar and there was no necessity to replace him.  

“Who says I am unfit, that I am not a professional? Is Tok Det (former Kedah menteri besar Mahdzir Khalid) a professional?” he asked.  

Azizan, who suffered a heart attack in July, said Kedah was in a better state now than it was under the previous state government helmed by the Barisan Nasional (BN).

The present state government did not have to borrow from the federal government to pay staff salaries, he said, adding that the state’s annual timber revenue was RM70 compared to the RM8 million under the BN government.

“The BN used federal funds to pay the village development and security committees. I use the state funds to pay the village security councils,” he told reporters when asked to comment on a suggestion by Kedah Umno deputy chairman Mukhriz Dr Mahathir that Azizan be replaced as menteri besar by state executive councillor Amiruddin Hamzah because he was of poor health.

Azizan spoke to reporters after witnessing the presentation of a RM100,000 tithe from Affin Islamic Bank to the Insaniah University College in Alor Setar.

On the remark by former Perlis mufti Associate Prof Dr Asri Zainal Abidin that nothing had been done to elevate Islam in Kedah compared to Kelantan, Azizan said a comparison could not be made of the two states.

He said Kelantan had been administered by PAS for more than 30 years and the party had won the state with a huge majority but PAS had only won 16 seats in Kedah and had to share the administration with other parties.

He said decisions had to be made after consultation with the political partners.

Azizan cited the case of the prohibition on the operation of entertainment centres during the recent Ramadan month and said that though it was originally decided to impose the ban the plan was withdrawn after consultation.

“We have been in power for not even a term. Have some sympathy,” he said.

- Bernama