Ahmad Faizal to resign only after new Perak MB appointed

IPOH: Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu will resign once Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah consents to the appointment of a state assemblyman who has the mandate and majority to become the new Menteri Besar.

Ahmad Faizal, who is also Chenderiang assemblyman, said he needed to ensure continuity of government operations by performing temporary duties before taking appropriate action, which is to resign and notify the relevant parties.

"Let me fulfil my responsibilities to the people because the state government must continue to operate. To my adversaries, I say that you have achieved what you want. Let's not go to the extent of disrupting the government administration."

“There are still some areas in Perak under the Enhanced Movement Control Order which the government is responsible for and there must someone at the helm to assist (matters),” he told a media conference after handing over replica cheques amounting to RM100,000 each to representatives of nine Chinese Independent schools at his office here today.

Also present were Tronoh Independent assemblyman Paul Yong Choo Kiong and Buntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam of Gerakan. Both, however, declined comment over the matter.

He said state executive councillors were still carrying out their duties as usual until a new menteri besar is appointed.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Faizal said Perak Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) wants all decisions made by consensus to ensure the interests of each political party in the Perikatan Nasional government (PN) are taken care of.

The Perak Bersatu chairman said the formation of a new government in the coalition should prioritise stability, even if it means having to sacrifice the wants and needs of their respective parties.

"Each party has various wants and needs. Bersatu, for example, we want as many positions (as possible) for our members, the same goes for PAS and UMNO.

"But are those needs so dire to the extent we forgo the principle of consensus we had already built through PN? These are things we have to ask ourselves,” he said.

Yesterday, Ahmad Faizal failed to get majority support in a vote of confidence at the State Assembly.

Only 10 Assemblymen supported him, 48 did not support while another abstained after a written vote was conducted on a motion submitted by Datuk Abd Manap Hashim (BN-Pengkalan Bharu) to prove that Ahmad Faizal still had the confidence and majority support of the State Assembly to lead the state government as Perak Menteri Besar.

Perak has 59 assemblymen comprising 25 from Barisan Nasional, Bersatu (four), PAS (three), DAP (16), PKR (three), Amanah (five), Gerakan (one) and Independent (two).

-- BERNAMA