THE Raja of Perlis is not happy with nine Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen for not attending the swearing in ceremony of the menteri besar today.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail said he was disappointed when other assemblymen were already in Perlis when the invitation was sent to them two days ago.

“Today, a large number of them are not present… because of what (absent) I do not know, while the invitation was made two days ago and others were still in Perlis then.

“Now they are in Kuala Lumpur. Yesterday, they were on a plane… this is based on my report,” he said at the swearing in ceremony of the menteri besar at Istana Arau as reported by Berita Harian.

The Raja of Perlis said he was still considering the two candidates for menteri besar as of last night.

“One (candidate) became the menteri besar before this because I wanted the development and plans for the state to continue for the good of the people, and I didn’t want it to stop.

“Another candidate had relations with the chairman of Umno communications (Perlis)... When I saw all BN representatives, they were obedient (to Umno’s leadership) from the state and to the federal leadership.

“I don’t want to wrongly choose Ismail Kassim… I am afraid to choose a menteri besar who will become a puppet,” he said.

The ruler said he did not want to appoint a menteri besar who is subservient to those from outside the state as he preferred to keep state matters free of outside influence.

The Raja of Perlis added that state Umno chief Shahidan Kassim’s action today only served to prove his suspicions right.

Shahidan held a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today to announce the sacking of newly minted Perlis Menteri Besar Azlan Man from Umno. Also present were nine Perlis BN assemblymen who had boycotted Azlan’s swearing in ceremony earlier today.

Shahidan, who is Ismail’s brother, said Azlan does not have the confidence of the majority of the state assembly and also urged Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to intervene in the state crisis. – May 24, 2018