DAP senior leader Lim Kit Siang has urged newly-minted Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman to hand over the government to PAS.

Lim, the Gelang Patah MP, said this in light of what he describes as a “constitutional crisis” in the east coast state as three top Umno leaders have quit their party to become Independent assemblypersons.

“Razif should immediately hand over the mandate to PAS to govern Terengganu as the state composition now is PAS 14 seats, PKR one, Umno 14 and Independents three,” Lim said in Air Itam today.

“We heard that there will be more quitting Umno to become Independents,” Lim quipped.

“We hope Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will not go missing in action nor would he interfere as he had done in Perak,” Lim added.

To date, three assemblypersons have quit Umno to become Independents - former menteri besar and Kijal assemblyperson Ahmad Said, who resigned as menteri besar yesterday, and assemblypersons Ghazali Taib (Ajil) and Roslee Daud (Bukit Besi).

Umno’s seats have reduced from 17 to 14 while the  opposition have 15 members in the state legislative assembly.

Although legal experts have urged fresh polls, state assembly speaker Azhar Abdul Hamid said he is counted as a representative of the ruling state government, giving the state an equation of 15 (BN), 15 (Pakatan) and three (Independents).

Lim said the situation in Terengganu is a test to Najib and where he can accept the notion of “constitutional integrity” in Terengganu.

Meanwhile, in a statement later, Lim proposed that new state elections be held in Terengganu for the voters to decide the political future of the state.

He said there is no effective majority even if Pakatan formed the new government.

“The best way to resolve the constitutional impasse in Terengganu caused by the resignation of the three Umno assemblypersons is to have new state elections,” he added.