Riding the Terengganu storm
Mohsin Abdullah, Fz.com
OBVIOUSLY the PM underestimated Datuk Seri Ahmad Said’s fightback – regardless how the Terengganu political storm plays out. Eventually.
Perhaps it never crossed his mind that the former Terengganu MB would do what he has done. And with loyalists in tow.
While the storm was brewing, Datuk Seri Najib Razak was announcing his GTP report at Angkasapuri.
Cabinet ministers Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaluddin were tweeting over a photograph of them taken at Angkasapuri as well – just before the PM began his speech.
Hishamuddin tweeted telling Khairy “your suit is one size to small or I am out of sync?”. Khairy responded ” LOL. Where are the new specs?”.
But at that very same time in Kuala Terengganu, the political storm unleashed its fury with Ahmad Said quitting Umno to be an independent state assemblyman (and as we know he was later joined by two other BN reps).
“It baffles me. Don’t tell me PM and Terengganu Umno do not have a Plan B should Mat Said leave Umno”, said a Terenggnau political observer. (http://www.fz.com/content/insider-najib-expected-ahmad-said%E2%80%99s-backlash)
I don’t know of Plan B but the fact that the new MB was sworn in swiftly on the night of May 12, somehow showed that BN “expected trouble”.
Anyway, moments before Ahmad Said’s defection, an Umno insider, talking about his resignation as menteri besar spoke about “some people say need to get Mat Said to federal .. senatorship .. interim measure”.
He went on to say: “Dalam politik Melayu air muka kena jaga. Tiba-tiba hilang jawatan hati panas”.
But despite saying that, the party insider didn’t rule out Ahmad Said taking drastic steps, “gung ho and hard headed that he is”.
True enough Ahmad Said did just that. He quit Umno hours after quitting as MB. But did he really resign as menteri besar?
He never officially announced his resignation as MB – verbally or via statement. His “resignation” was first “announced” by BN/Umno Tengku Adnan Mansor. The press release on the “resignation” and his successor was issued by the PM.
It can be said Ahmad Said was ousted or forced to quit. Whatever it was, he had to go.
Word of his departure have been making the rounds for months. Najib wanted him to be replaced. But he didn’t want to be replaced. At least based on his consistent public statements.
And he has his band of supporters who want him to remain MB. Like the Terenggnau Umno Youth who had made known their support loudly and with “bold” banners displayed all over the state.
But why did the PM want him to go? For a number of reasons according to a Terenggnau Umno source but one major reason was over the list of candidates for GE 13.
