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Ku Li slams PM for ’stunning ineptness’

Veteran Umno politican Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah today fired his latest salvo against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for his “stunning ineptness” in the appointment of the Terengganu mentri besar.

“Abdullah’s statement yesterday that ‘the appointment of anyone but Idris Jusoh as Terengganu menteri besar is unconstitutional’ is wrong,” said Razaleigh in a hard-hitting press release late this afternoon.

“As in the recent crisis in Perlis, the prime minister’s actions suggest stunning ineptness in managing fundamental relationships and straightforward functions of government.”

According to Razaleigh, the situation in Terengganu is a “crisis of government, not of the constitution”.

“The sultan acted within his powers in appointing the person who, in his judgment, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the State Assembly.

“Ahmad Said’s appointment is effective and he is now mentri besar of Terengganu. It is up to the properly convened State Assembly to test him with a vote of confidence in due course,” said Razaleigh, referring to Terengganu sultan’s choice.

He said that “petitions, threats, coercion and declarations of support” for the prime minister and his candidate, Idris – who was mentri besar in the previous state government – had no bearing on the legality of the sultan’s appointment.

“Perhaps we have forgotten what it is like to conduct ourselves with good manners and due respect for the constitution and the sovereignty of the ruler,” lamented Razaleigh, who himself is a Kelantan prince.

Last week, Razaleigh, who was former party vice-president, had offered himself as a candidate to challenge Abdullah in the upcoming Umno polls, due to be held in August.

He has also called for the entire ruling Barisan Nasional to step down to take responsibility for its worst electoral setback in history.

Umno’s leadership in jeopardy

Razaleigh also expressed concerned that the crisis in Terengganu would affect Umno’s control of the oil-rich state.

“This storm in Terengganu is just the latest in a series of crises brought on by an apparent failure to understand how state powers work relative to federal ones.

“This is alarming because the Barisan government now has five opposition-controlled states to contend with out of the nine in Peninsular Malaysia. The mishandling of chief ministerial appointments in Perlis, and now in Terengganu, mean that our leadership in two other states is now in jeopardy.”

In the wake of March 8 general elections, Razaleigh – who is Kelantan’s Gua Musang Umno division chief – has sent a letter to all party leaders urging them to convene an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the electoral debacle.

However, he has received lukewarm support for the idea.

In a latest development, MB-designate Ahmad said that he had full backing from the sultan and will start work tomorrow.

In the related article;

Ahmad to start work as MB tomorrow

Kijal state representative Ahmad Said, who has been appointed by the Terengganu sultan as mentri besar against the wish of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will start work tomorrow.

At a massive gathering at his house in Teluk Kalong, Kemaman, late this afternoon, Ahmad told his supporters that he would assume the post tomorrow.

Eyewitnesses say that several hundred people had gathered to hear Ahmad speak.

“I never dreamt of being the menteri besar of Terengganu,” he told his supporters.

“I will work hard,” he said, adding that he would be “going to office tomorrow”.

However, it is still unclear when Ahmad would be sworn in as MB.

Earlier today, he had an audience with Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin – who is also serving as the Agung – in Kuala Lumpur.

On his way back to Terengganu, he was escorted by a strong crowd of 2,000 from the Pahang border to his house – a 10-kilometer long journey.

It is also learnt that he has managed to convince 13 out of the 22 BN state representatives to back him for the post.

Meanwhile, opposition party PAS today fully supported the move by the Terengganu palace to appoint Ahmad as MB.

Hadi Awang: Respect palace’s decision

Party president Abdul Hadi Awang said he believed the decision by the palace was in accordance with the real wishes of the people of Terengganu.

“We are confident that the palace’s decision to appoint Ahmad was based in the dissatisfaction of the palace and the people of Terengganu against the former menteri besar,” he said in a statement today.

He added that the people of Terengganu would definitely understand and accept the appointment of Ahmad as it was them who had to “suffer in the hands of the previous person’s ineffectiveness”.

“We urge the people of Terengganu to respect the wishes of the palace for the sake of stability and prosperity in the state,” he added.

The state of Terengganu is presently in a constitutional turmoil following the appointment of the palace-backed Ahmad over the previous menteri besar Idris Jusoh, who has the support of Prime Minister Abdullah and the 22 BN state representatives in the state.

In the general election, Idris-led BN retained the retained the state comfortably by winning 24 out of 32 state seats. PAS won the rest. He was then given the assurance by the prime minister that he would be reappointed as the menteri besar.

However, the sultan is not in favour of Idris and has chosen Ahmad to lead the state. Ahmad is believed to have the support of the grassroots Umno members and leaders.

PKR: Don’t be provocative

Ahmad, also the Kemaman Umno division chief, received his appointment letter from the Regency Advisory Council yesterday morning, almost at the same time when the 22 BN state representatives submitted a protest letter to the palace against the appointment of Ahmad.

Idris and the 22 state representatives also met up with Abdullah last night to discuss the matter.

Umno too has decided to take action against Ahmad for disobeying the party line in accepting the palace’s appointment. He is expected to be sacked the moment he participates in the swearing-in ceremony, to be held on Wednesday.

Ahmad however is confident that he has the necessary support of the state representatives to form a state government. He has asked for two to three days to name his exco line-up.

Meanwhile PKR Terengganu today expressed its disappointment in the crisis over the appointment of the menteri besar.

The opposition party also urged Umno to respect the wishes of the palace in the appointment of Ahmad.

“Even if they disagree to that appointment, they should not be issuing provocative or insulting statements against the palace,” said the state PKR secretary Razali Alias in a statement today.

He added that all Terengganu citizens must firmly stand behind the decision made by the sultan, who is also the present agong.