Perak Harapan backs BN to form state govt, Saarani stays as MB

Pakatan Harapan and BN have joined forces to form a state government in Perak.

This is amid uncertainty at the federal level about whether BN would back a prime minister from Perikatan Nasional (PN) or Harapan.

The deal in Perak has been confirmed by multiple Harapan sources, including Perak PKR chief Chang Lih Kang - and was later confirmed by the Perak palace as well.

The Perak legislature was hung after the 15th general election. PN won 26 seats, Harapan 24, and BN nine. A minimum of 30 seats are needed to form the state government as the legislative assembly has 59 seats in total.

Despite having more seats, Perak palace spokesperson Annuar Zaini revealed that Harapan agreed to back incumbent menteri besar Saarani Mohamad to retake office. He will be sworn in this evening.

Harapan surrendering control of Perak over to BN is believed to be aimed at securing the latter's support at the federal level.

This is not the first time BN and Harapan have worked together in Perak.

In late 2020, both sides worked together to oust Bersatu’s Ahmad Faizal Azumu as menteri besar. They then struck up a confidence and supply agreement for Harapan to support the BN state government.

‘Recipe for disaster’

Faizal, in response to the new coalition state government, said it was a "recipe for disaster".

He said it also confirmed speculation before the elections that Umno was trying to align itself with Harapan.

"What happened to the Umno general assembly decision of 'No Anwar' and 'No DAP'?

"Perak PN will not work with Harapan because they include DAP, which is rejected by most Malays. We will also not work with those who are tainted by corruption," he said in a statement today.

Perak's Sultan Nazrin Shah had earlier granted an audience to state PN leaders to ask if they - as the largest bloc - could form a state government, to which they replied in the negative.

This led the monarch to accept BN and Harapan's bid to form the state government.

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