Dr Mati's son quits as chief minister of Kedah

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Mukhriz quits as chief minister of Kedah



KUALA LUMPUR — Mr Mukhriz Mahathir today (Feb 3) announced his resignation as the chief minister of Kedah with immediate effect, after losing majority support in the state legislative assembly.

Mr Mukhriz said the Kedah palace had informed him that he no longer commanded majority support from assemblymen. "I hereby quit as Kedah menteri besar with immediate effect,” he told a packed media conference at Wisma Darul Aman in Alor Setar.

It was previously understood the state Regency Council informed Mr Mukhriz that he does not have majority support of the Kedah assemblymen and will have to resign from the top state job.

“The state Regency Council is satisfied this evening that Mukhriz has lost the confidence of the majority of the Kedah assemblymen,” a source had told The Malaysian Insider after attending a Barisan Nasional (BN) meeting in Grand Alora Hotel in state capital Alor Star.

The source said the council made the decision after a final meeting with all opposition assemblymen at the Wisma Darul Aman yesterday evening.

BN holds 21 seats in the 36-seat state legislature.

In the meeting, 13 opposition lawmakers from PAS, PKR, DAP and Amanah individually met the council comprising chairman Tunku Temenggong Tunku Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, Tunku $$$$$mana Diraja Tunku Abdul Hamid Thani Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah and the Kedah Sultan’s eldest daughter Tengku Panglima Besar Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz.

The Malaysian Insider had reported that BN assemblymen, who first announced they were dissatisfied with Mr Mukhriz on Jan 20, were short of support after two of them made and U-turn and expressed confidence in Mr Mukhriz on Monday.

The source also said media reports saying the opposition lawmakers were behind Mr Mukhriz was inaccurate as some of them did not support the Umno man, who is the youngest son of Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir is now chief critic of UMNO president and prime minister Najib Razak despite endorsing him for the country’s top job seven years ago.

“The council’s decision is appropriate because they heard it direct and not from third parties. The logical conclusion is that there will be a new menteri besar.

“Only the oath-taking date is uncertain but we hope it is as soon as possible,” said the BN source, who declined to name the new menteri besar saying it was the palace’s privilege to make the announcement.

The source also said Mr Mukhriz had agreed to resign and had cancelled the weekly executive council meeting after the latest developments.

Last week’s meeting saw only three exco members turning up.

“Mukhriz had called all his special officers to his official residence tonight to inform them of the decision.

“He has agreed to resign. The exco meeting is cancelled, there might be an announcement tonight or tomorrow but not sure,” the source said last night.

The leadership crisis erupted when Kedah UMNO deputy liaison chief Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah led 13 other division leaders to revolt against Mr Muhriz and calling for a new state leadership. Mr Najib has had meetings with the factions in Kedah but has kept tight-lipped over the choice of the new menteri besar although he has had an audience with the Sultan of Kedah, the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah, and also the state Regency Council over the issue. THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER




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