Perlis Umno assemblyperson Ismail Kassim (above) added a new twist to the state's menteri besar crisis saying that neither he nor Azlan Man should lead the state.

Instead, Ismail said the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail should appoint one of the eight other Umno assemblypersons as menteri besar.

"We urge Tuanku to give this final consideration to all of us, neither Ismail nor Azlan but one of the eight others.

"I suggest one of my eight friends as they have no problems leading the state even though they are new as long as it is not me or Azlan," Ismail said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur tonight.

He said this proposal was meant to solve the ongoing crisis and to show their loyalty to the monarch.

Ismail said he also wanted to show that he was not power hungry.

"I don't want to be called power hungry. I don't want my late father to suffer in his grave because of despicable acts on earth," he said.

Azlan was sacked from Umno hours after being sworn in as menteri besar earlier today.

Ismail's brother, Umno supreme council member Shahidan Kassim had sacked him as he said Azlan was not one of the names proposed as Perlis menteri besar.

Ismail explained that Perlis Umno did not want to be led by Azlan because the latter had a poor service record in his previous seat Pauh.

"People were mad that he was the Pauh assembyperson, he did not take care of hois constituency and moved to a new one (Bintong).

"People know his record in Pauh, so he tried somewhere else. At the (Umno) division level he failed. How can a failed division chief lead the state," he said.

He added that Azlan was also not open to criticism.

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