Terengganu to have new MB, swearing in tonight, says Ku Nan

(The Star) – Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said has stepped down and his successor will be sworn-in on Monday night, said Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

The Barisan secretary-general said that the swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place after 8pm Monday night at the Istana Syarqiyyah here.

Tengku Adnan did not name Ahmad Said’s successor, but Seberang Takir assemblyman Datuk Abdul Razif Abdul Rahman has been widely tipped to assume the post.

Ahmad Said, a two-term Terengganu MB, was said to have handed his resignation letter to the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin on Monday.

This confirms speculation that Ahmad Said would be replaced, following a supposed agreement with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that he would stay on for only a year after Barisan almost lost the state in the 13th general election last year.

Najib had allegedly given Ahmad a one-year grace period after the elections because he wanted the Terengganu leader to have a “soft landing”.

Barisan won 17 state assembly seats against Pakatan Rakyat’s 15, and managed to win half of the eight Parliamentary seats in the state.

Abdul Razif, 49, is also a state executive councillor for Science and Technology, Environment, Energy, Green Technology and Water.