A DAP lawmaker is convinced that if PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang pushes for a special sitting of the Terengganu state assembly, the prime minister will be in a state of panic.

Without mincing his words, Ariff Sabri ( left ) said: "Ask for a special sitting and I assure you, Najib (Abdul Razak) will shit bricks."

Commenting on the political imbroglio in Terengganu, Ariff added the prime minister knows that he is not safe.

The Raub MP also termed the resignations of former Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Said and others as attempts to strike a bargain.

“They are now (BN-friendly) Independents. The term has no substantive significance. It is just a term of art signifying, we are available for ‘kautim’ (a deal).

“If a vote is taken inside Terengganu’s state assembly, BN would have 18 potential affirmative votes - including one from the speaker. It would be 18-15, with 16 from BN and two from the BN-friendly independents,” he added.

Ariff, a former Umno leader, said he had refrained from rushing in to air his views on the matter because he understood the Umno psychology.

“Very rarely do Umno members show their real intention loudly. Unless they want to use that loudness as a bargaining chip and are using their high decibel protests as advertisements saying they are available for discussions,” he added in his blog.

Najib must fear silent ones

Vocal representatives aside, the DAP MP said that it would be the silent ones that Najib must fear.

In view of this, he called on Hadi ( right ), who is the assemblyperson for Rhu Rendang, to petition the speaker for a special sitting.

“Then he can table a vote of no confidence in the new menteri besar. Let us see how things work out. Maybe on that particular day, some Umno reps would stay out citing illnesses, food poisoning and some other convenient ailments.

“At the moment, we need to understand - Ahmad Said and his fellow travellers’ backpedalling is just for show - to minimise pressure from Umno top leadership and also to lull the Umno leadership into a complacency,” he said.

“People of Ahmad Said’s temperament don’t quickly extinguish their anger. He and his fellow supporters and those like-minded may have decided to stay quiet for some time.

“So PAS should not waste too much time to ask for a special sitting of the assembly. The speaker cannot refuse. If the speaker delays, Hadi can see the sultan,” he added.

Ariff also noted that it was strange how Umno is quick to prefer a siting of the assembly to verify and establish for a fact as to whether the new menteri besar has the majority voice.

“It didn’t show the same prudence, circumspection and judiciousness when the same thing happened in Perak a few years back.

Umno psychology

“There, the sultan did not ask for a sitting but instead was ready to accept an oral presentation from the relevant parties, namely from Umno. It was one man’s word against another.

“The willingness to accept without having to go before the assembly created a precedence affirmed by the court. You can change a state government without having a special sitting to establish legitimacy,” he added.

The DAP leader said Hadi could have done the same by going to the sultan and state that his party or faction has the majority voice in the assembly.

“If the sultan of Terengganu followed the precedent in Perak, Hadi could propose someone from his faction to become MB,” he added.

Ariff said Umno is willing to test its legitimacy in the Terengganu state assembly believing that when push comes to shove, it would still have 18 votes.

“Hadi’s people could be better off cultivating the Umno people who prefer to keep quiet but are willing to deliver the coup de grace later.

“So, know the Umno psychology. Najib is not yet safe and he knows it,” he added.