PERLIS Barisan Nasional (BN) is seeking an audience with the Raja of Perlis to explain its rejection of Azlan Man as menteri besar.

State BN secretary Zahidi Zainul Abidin said the party knew this went against the wishes of the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamallulail but asked for the chance to explain its reasons to the ruler.

“We are loyal to the Ruler but we do not want Azlan to be menteri besar. We will seek an audience with His Highness to thank him and to explain why we reject Azlan,” Zahidi said at a press conference that was broadcast on Facebook live.

It is now more than three weeks since the May 9 elections when BN won the majority of seats in the state assembly but the stalemate over the choice of menteri besar continues.

While the ruler has supported BN’s Bintong assemblyman Azlan Man as menteri besar, Zahidi said the state had BN rejected him.

“We believe in democratic principles. We should follow the majority rule. Whoever has the support of the majority (can be appointed).”

Along with a request for an audience with the ruler, Zahidi said Perlis BN had also submitted 11 names as menteri besar candidates.

This was the original list he claimed was submitted to the ruler right after elections on May 9, and included his name and state BN chairman Shahidan Kassim.

Even though both of them are not state assemblymen, the Perlis constitution does not limit the ruler to appointing an assemblyman but allows the menteri besar to be a federal lawmaker.

Zahidi is Padang Besar MP while Shahidan is the Arau MP.

“It doesn’t matter whether the names are MPs or state assemblymen, because the Raja Perlis can choose.

“Tuanku can choose whoever Tuanku wishes,” Zahidi added.

Zahidi said Perlis BN was pushing ahead with efforts to oust Azlan, who has already been sworn in, because there were no clear instructions from the national BN leadership since losing GE14.

“We informed the national leadership and there was a discussion. But now that BN has lost (federal power), we are not sure about their direction so we are just pushing ahead.” – June 1, 2018