Incoming Kedah menteri besar Ahmad Bashah Mohd Hanapiah said he did not nap during a function at the palace, dismissing the allegation made by his predecessor Mukhriz Mahathir this morning when announcing his resignation.

“I was not asleep, just closed my eyes in order to appreciate (menghayati) the Tuanku’s speech at the palace.

"Sometimes, I feel I can concentrate more like that," he said.

"This matter has gone viral, maybe the clip was edited but I was not sleeping," he told reporters at Bangunan Tunku in Alor Setar today.

The Kedah Umno deputy liaison chief also complained that his detractors did not take a video of him when his eyes were open, and blamed it on attempts to discredit him.

On Jan 20, Bashah led a team of 14 division leaders to urge prime minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak to remove Mukhriz as MB as he was ineffective in uniting the party in Kedah.

"We did not force it but called for change and asked the PM to resolve the crisis," he said.

"We are thankful that after two weeks, the wishes of the division leaders have been granted," he added.

"As it was their wish, I took the responsibility to call for the Jan 20 press conference," he added.

Bashah said he would relinquish his post as senator and deputy minister today.

Asked to comment on Mukhriz's remarks that his removal as MB was to silence him, Bashah said: "That is just his perception. We want to work, why would we want to silence him?”

"That is his perception but all we wanted was change," he said.

Asked on his new administration line-up, he said: "I have not even been sworn in."

Asked about his plans after his swearing-in, he replied: “Kenduri".