Department of Special Affairs (Jasa) representative Lokman Noor Adam has come to the defence of newly-appointed Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah in refuting claims that the latter only has Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) qualification.

“Actually, he does not only have SRP qualification but is also a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) holder,” said Lokman on his Facebook page today.

Hitting out at ousted former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s supporters, Lokman said slander against Bashah will only humiliate Mukhriz himself.

“This is because this means that a majority of Kedah state assemblypersons are more confident of a (supposed) SRP leaver than Mukhriz who studied in Japan and America.”

Bashah, said Lokman, had admitted that he was not highly educated as Mukhriz.

Nevertheless, his experience in the Umno party leadership as well as in the government has been his plus point in taking care of the welfare of the people of Kedah, said Lokman.

Lokman also took a dig at Mukhriz, claiming that Mukhriz was not “all that brilliant” in his studies.

“Mukhriz is not only lazy to visit his constituency, but he was also not that hard working as a student.

“Even though he studied at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara, he only obtained a second grade in his SPM,” he said.

Muhkriz’s supporters, he added, should realise that academic qualifications do not determine the success of the administration of a state.

“In politics, someone who has a PhD like (former Kedah menteri besar) Sanusi Junid, too, had failed to administer a state well.

“Even a medical doctor who administered the country for 22 years had failed to obtain the support of his division members to win the G7,” he said, in an obvious reference to Mukhriz’s father Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

(G7 refers to the seven delegates elected by divisions to attend the party's annual general assembly.)

Bashah’s fatherly attributes, Lokman added, have managed to unite Kedah Umno in wresting the state from PAS.

“It’s undeniable that the prime minister’s announcement then (in 2013) to appoint Mukhriz as menteri besar had worked to Kedah BN’s favour, but without BN’s organised efforts under Bashah who is very much experienced, it would be impossible for BN to wrest Kedah.

“Not everyone has the chance to be the child of a prime minister like Mukhriz and we don’t know what Bashah had to go through in his life, so stop all these never-ending ridicule,” he said.

Mukhriz, today, agreed to relinquish his post as menteri besar. Bashah will be sworn in as the new menteri besar tomorrow.

To many political observers, Mukhriz is a victim of the long-drawn verbal war between Prime Minister Najib Razak and Mahathir, but Kedah Umno – led by Bashah – had claimed that Mukhriz was unable to unite the party and lacked strategies to develop the state.