UMNO wants Perikatan Nasional to remain as the ruling pact in Perak despite the removal of Ahmad Faizal Azumu as the menteri besar through a vote of confidence in the state assembly today, said Ahmad Maslan.

The Umno secretary-general said the vote of confidence – moved by an Umno state rep and supported by all Umno reps – was only against Faizal, and not the state government led by PN.

“All state exco members must continue.

“Umno also believes that Bersatu and PAS must continue to hold the Perikatan state government (with Umno),” Ahmad, who is also Pontian MP, said in a statement.

Umno assemblyman Abdul Manaf had moved the motion against Faizal last month.

The outgoing menteri besar lost the confidence vote by 48 to 10 with one spoilt vote this morning.

Perak Umno had won the motion to remove Faizal with the support of PH parties in the state assembly.

Faizal, who is also Bersatu deputy president, was appointed as Perak MB after PH won the state in 2018.

Although Bersatu had the fewest assemblymen, PH decided to appoint him due to the power sharing agreement it had with Bersatu.

Following the collapse of PH at the federal level in February, Faizal resigned as the Pakatan MB to form a new state government with Barisan Nasional and PAS.

Despite Bersatu having just five assemblymen to Umno’s 25 and PAS’ three, Faizal was reappointed in March after PN took over the state.

The PN government is currently supported by eight PN assemblymen and 25 from BN, and also has support from one Gerakan assemblyman and one independent in the 59-seat state assembly.

The opposition in Perak is made up of 24 assemblymen in PH – DAP (16), Amanah (five) and PKR (three).

Earlier today, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said his party would not participate in the efforts to form a new Perak government.

PAS’ Gunung Semanggol assemblyman and state commissioner Razman Zakaria, Selama assemblyman Mohd Akmal Kamaruddin and Kubu Gajah assemblyman Khalil Yahaya were executive councillors in the Perak state government.

The three PAS state reps had supported Faizal in the confidence motion.

Senior Umno leader Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, meanwhile, has suggested that Umno work with Amanah and PKR to form a new state government in Perak.

The Padang Rengas MP was quoted in Astro Awani as saying that Umno must work with these two PH parties as allies Bersatu and PAS had opposed the motion against Faizal.  – December 4, 2020.