Former Perak state assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri, who had an instrumental role in the controversial takeover of the Perak state government by BN in 2009, has decided to join PAS after retiring from civil service.


 <img align="left" alt="NONE" height="280" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/497/5456521a914bf41497b9e249863b0899.jpg" width="210"/>
 
 Sin Chew Daily
 
 in a report yesterday quoted Abdullah as announcing his decision to join the Islamic party during a welcoming event for new PAS members in Ipoh on Sunday.


 On his alleged actions in facilitating BN to takeover the state government, Abdullah
 
 (left)
 
 said he had no choice but to perform his duties as the state assembly secretary as well as secretary to the state executive council.


 "But after the takeover, the current government probably observed my reservations in supporting it, so it transferred me to the Perak Land and Mines Department in 2010, before I retired in the same year," he is quoted as saying.


 Disgruntlement with the current BN government, he said, was the driving force behind his decision to join the Islamic party.


 <img align="right" alt="NONE" height="330" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/303/7dd70deba3e9026f2a13862590c557b9.jpg" width="240"/>
 Abdullah served as state assembly secretary during the administration of three menteri besar - Tajul Rosli Ghazali, Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and the current Zambry Abdul Kadir (
 
 right
 
 ).


 In April 2009, led by the then deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, BN grabbed the Perak state government from Pakatan Rakyat, without a fresh election, after three Pakatan assemblypersons quit their parties to become independents and declared their support for BN, giving it the majority in state assembly.


 During the intensive power tussle, Abdullah, whose duty was to execute orders from the assembly speaker, was seen as a key person in assisting the takeover.


 He was
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/102637" target="_blank">
 
 suspended
 
 </a>
 twice by Pakatan's state speaker V Sivakumar for not following the latter's instructions, but Abdullah continued to issue orders favorable to BN lawmakers in their attempt to overthrow the Pakatan administration.


 Today,
 
 Berita Harian
 
 quoted Abdullah as saying that he was not yet a PAS member, and that he would not accept any invitation to speak at opposition ceramah sessions because of health, safety and secrecy factors.


 However, Perak PAS deputy commissioner Misbahul Munir rebutted in his
 <a href="http://misabah.blogspot.com/2012/07/abdullah-antong-akan-tetap-sokong-pas.html" target="_blank">
 
 blog
 
 </a>
 that the
 
 Berita Harian
 
 report twisted Abdullah's statement.


 Misbahul, who had a phone conversation with Abdullah, said Abdullah had told the
 
 Berita Harian
 
 journalist that he was not yet officially a PAS member.


 
 Determined to help PAS topple Umno
 


 Abdullah had also explained to the journalist his reasons of joining PAS but these were not reported, said Misbahul.


 "He convinced me that when the time comes, he will make an official announcement on joining PAS, although his heart is already with PAS.


 "He is also determined to help PAS and Pakatan to topple Umno and BN in the next general election, even though he is not officially a PAS member yet," Misbahul added.


 <img align="right" alt="abu bakar hussian pas perak" height="191" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/316/e5a040af1201acc8ea1844af0561ec0e.gif" width="186"/>
 Another report by
 
 Nanyang Siang Pau
 
 quoted Perak PAS commissioner Abu Bakar Hussian (
 
 right
 
 ) as saying that the party has not decided whether Abdullah would be fielded as a candidate in the next general election.


 It has been speculated that Abdullah may contest the Lumut parliamentary constituency, against Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha, or in the Pulau Pangkor state seat against Zambry.


 "Whether he will contest or not will be decided by the party. Currently PAS is working hard to recruit professionals from different fields in Perak.


 "The former Perak education department director Adnan Ibrahim has also announced his decision to join PAS," Abu Bakar is quoted as saying.


 PAS has of late been aggressively recruiting retired senior civil servants, including former Terengganu education department director Ahmad Zabidi Shamsuddin, former Land and Cooperative Development Ministry secretary-general Nik Zain Nik Yusof and former criminal investigation department chief Fauzi Shaari.


 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/203176">
 Hadi: PAS, not DAP, is strongest in Pakatan
 </a>

Retired state assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri announces this at  a ceremony for new PAS members in Ipoh, reports Sin Chew Daily.


Key civil servant in BN takeover of Perak joins PAS

~RM12

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