PN CRISIS IN PERLIS RAISES QUESTIONS ON PARTY PRIORITIES – PH

KANGAR, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- The crisis involving Perikatan Nasional (PN) assemblymen in Perlis has highlighted that the party’s leadership prioritises political interests over the welfare of the people and the stability of the state administration.

Perlis Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Noor Amin Ahmad said such a crisis should not have happened, noting that PAS and Bersatu, with nine and five assemblymen respectively, held a comfortable majority to form the state government.

He said any issues relating to a potential change of Menteri Besar (MB) should have been resolved internally without triggering the immediate cessation of PAS membership, which created unforeseen vacancies in three state assembly seats.

“No external pressure, whether from Barisan Nasional (BN) or PH, caused this instability. It shows that the party leadership has been focused on who rises and who falls, despite having a huge majority,” he said at a press conference here today.

“I am not saying the Menteri Besar cannot be replaced, but you have a huge majority and did not use it to discuss matters internally, which shows a shortcoming in leadership,” he noted, adding that it unnecessarily drew the royal institution into political disputes.

He also said that Perlis DUN Speaker Rus’sele Eizan’s call for by-elections in the three constituencies to maintain government stability presents an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between BN and PH in Perlis, despite the Assembly having completed three years of its term on Dec 18.

Previously, media reports said PN assemblymen allegedly met the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, to express loss of confidence and withdraw support for Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli.

Following this, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said on Dec 24 that the party membership of Chuping assemblyman Saad Seman, Bintong assemblyman Fakhrul Anwar Ismail and Guar Sanji assemblyman Mohd Ridzuan Hashim had ceased immediately under Clause 76 and Clause 15A(1)(b) of the PAS Constitution (Amendment 2025).

Mohd Shukri later held a press conference to announce his voluntary resignation as Perlis Menteri Besar on health grounds, saying the resignation would take effect once approved by the Raja of Perlis.

In the 15th General Election, PN won 14 state assembly seats in Perlis, comprising nine from PAS and five from Bersatu, while PH secured one seat through PKR in the DUN Indera Kayangan constituency.

-- BERNAMA