MUKHRIZ Mahathir today stressed that he remains Kedah menteri besar until it is proved otherwise in the state assembly.

“I am still here. My government exists. It is not true that the Kedah government has fallen,” he told a press conference in Alor Star today.

This follows announcements by several assemblymen saying that he had lost the support of the majority in the state assembly.

The Bersatu deputy president said as far as he was concerned, the political situation in Kedah is under control.

“Claims by several parties that this state government has fallen is untrue. There are some processes (to be undertaken) that involve the Kedah sultan.

“We can’t make any decision based on press conferences. There must be official correspondence from those with authority.

“We have to adhere to the state constitution,” he said.

Earlier today, Mukhriz had chaired his weekly exco meeting, which included deciding on preventive measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Three exco members were absent from the meeting – Lunas rep Azman Nasrudin, who had announced yesterday that he was quitting PKR, as well as two Bersatu reps, Halimaton Saadiah Saad (Bukit Kayu Hitam) and Mohd Firdaus Ahmad (Kuah).

Yesterday, PKR assemblymen Robert Ling Kui Ee (Sidam) and Azman announced their defections to Perikatan Nasional, paving the way for the collapse of the Mukhriz-led Bersatu-Pakatan Harapan state government.

The defections give Perikatan the majority in the 36-member state assembly.

Currently, PAS has 15 seats while Umno has two.

All 19 assemblymen had said they had lost confidence in Mukhriz’s leadership.

Mukhriz, however, added that not all 23 state reps were present in the opposition press conference yesterday.

“So, how to be certain that they have all lost their confidence in me?”

He also said that the exco today decided to propose to the sultan that the issue be sorted out in an assembly sitting.

“I think that is a more transparent way.

“If the opposition feels that there is no confidence in the menteri besar, they can then move a motion in the assembly,” Mukhriz said.

He said this would be better than having the opposition go to the ruler with statutory declarations indicating their support or lack thereof for him. – May 13, 2020.