New Perlis MB expected today, state PAS ulama chief defends 'rebels'

A new Perlis menteri besar is expected to be sworn in this afternoon.

According to Kosmo, the names being thrown out by PAS to potentially lead the state include Santan assemblyperson Azmir Azizan and Kayang assemblyperson Asrul Aimran Abd Jalil.

Bersatu’s Kuala Perlis assemblyperson, Abu Bakar Hamzah, is another potential candidate, the report said.

Politics in Perlis has been in turmoil following moves to remove Shukri Ramli, who has since resigned as the menteri besar on Dec 25.

Eight assembly members - three from PAS and five from Bersatu - had submitted statutory declarations (SDs) to the Perlis ruler, declaring a loss of confidence in Shukri.

PAS subsequently terminated the membership of its three assemblypersons, leading Perlis state assembly speaker Rus’ele Eizan to declare extraordinary vacancies in their seats.

‘Former reps were loyal’

Speaking on the issue, Perlis PAS ulama chief Ahmad Adnan Fadzil said the three assemblypersons were “loyal”, rejecting claims that they had betrayed the party.

“There are only parties who failed to play their proper roles before it became a mess like it is now,” he asserted in a statement on Facebook today.

He also stressed that its partner in Perikatan Nasional, Bersatu, as well as former Perlis menteri besar Shahidan Kassim, were not directly involved in the matter.

“Those who do not know the real story should not guess in the ambiguity. Let the leadership and those involved resolve this mess peacefully,” he said.

Yesterday, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said he will summon the five assemblypersons over their alleged SDs to the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail.

The PN chairperson said Bersatu did not issue any such instruction to the elected representatives and would seek their explanation over the matter.

Breaching discipline a ‘clear betrayal’

In a separate statement today, Perlis PAS Youth chief Haziq Asyraf claimed to have been invited to sign an SD by an individual who acted as a “broker”.

However, as his initial inclination was to check with his central and state party leadership, he did not involve himself in the move.

Haziq also claimed that he had cried the night when the three PAS assemblypersons had their memberships terminated, as he recalled his own close relationships with them.

He went on to condemn them for breaching party discipline, calling their actions a “clear betrayal”.

“Party discipline cannot be clouded by emotions. Betrayal is still betrayal. 

“This action must be a great lesson to all PAS members, not only in Perlis but throughout the country,” the Beseri assemblyperson asserted.

He offered his opinion that there would have been room for discussion if the three had not signed the SDs.

Had they informed the party of the existence of such a plot, central PAS would not have taken action against them, he added.

“If they feel that this action is a form of ‘truth’, then in reality they have failed to understand the words of the oath that were pronounced when accepting the mandate as assemblypersons,” he said.

All PAS electoral candidates and leaders are required to take a religious oath of integrity.

The party has consistently enforced the loyalty oath in the name of Allah as a means to prevent its lawmakers from betraying the party’s struggle after an election.

Haziq then congratulated the central PAS leadership for their handling of the matter, which he said was done fairly and with integrity, a process that he witnessed himself.

He urged party members not to contradict decisions made by the central PAS leadership or statements by its president, Abdul Hadi Awang.

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