Kedah PN presents SDs proposing new MB to sultan - report

Kedah Perikatan Nasional (PN) has reportedly presented 23 statutory declarations from state assemblypersons to propose a candidate to become the new menteri bear to Kedah ruler Sallehuddin Badlishah.

The Star quoted PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan saying that he was present at a meeting where Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang presented the declarations to the sultan at his palace in Kuala Lumpur today.

“They informed the sultan that their parties agreed with the candidate that has been named in the 23 SDs to replace Mukhriz as the Kedah MB.

“The meeting was an amicable one and the sultan received the SDs,” he was quoted as saying.

Takiyuddin said the assemblypersons had decided to send the SDs to the sultan instead of tabling a no-confidence motion in the state assembly because it would hold up better to legal scrutiny in court.

The report said the 23 assemblypersons are believed to have proposed Jeneri assemblyperson and Kedah PAS deputy commissioner Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor as the new menteri besar.

Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported that PN is ready to form the new state government with 23 signatories of a statutory declaration (SD) including those of four Bersatu assemblypersons.

According to a Kedah PAS source, they were merely waiting for the next step to take over the state government from Pakatan Harapan.

“All 23 assemblypersons including four from Bersatu have signed the SD.

“Now we waiting for the state government representative to meet with the sultan,” the source told Malaysiakini today.

It is understood that the sultan will return from federal capital tomorrow.

It was reported yesterday that Kedah PN claimed it now has the required majority to topple the Harapan Kedah government led by Mukhriz Mahathir.

This came after yesterday’s announcement by two PKR assemblypersons – namely the Sidam and Lunas representatives Dr Robert Ling Kui Ee and Azman Nasrudin respectively – that they are resigning from the party to become independent assemblypersons.

The two also pledged their support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as well as to the PN government at the state level.

However, at a press conference today, Mukhriz, who is also the Bersatu deputy president, insisted that he was still the Kedah menteri besar.

“The political situation in Kedah is still under control, I am still the menteri besar and the government still exists, so any allegation from any parties that the government has fallen yesterday is not true,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bersatu’s Ayer Hangat assemblyperson Juhari Bulat told Malaysiakini that he would obey his party’s decision to support the formation of a PN government in Kedah.

“There were some PAS people who contacted me to sign (the SD), but I happened to be in Kuala Lumpur.

“But I have given my assurance that I would support the new state government. That is because we follow the party’s decision,” he said.

Aside from Juhari, two other Bersatu representatives - the Kuah and Bukit Kayu Hitam assemblypersons - have confirmed with Malaysiakini that they, too, have chosen to support the formation of a PN state government.

Bersatu is currently split into two factions, one in support of party president and prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and another in support of former prime minister and party chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

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