Terengganu Crisis: New MB: All 17 assemblymen are still with the coalition

(NST) – Newly-appointed Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said all the 17 Barisan Nasional assemblymen in the state are still with the coalition.

He explained that the state legislative assembly speaker Mohd Zubir Embong had yet to receive the letters on the decision by the three BN assemblymen to leave Umno and become independents.

“The BN Government is still very much the ruling party,” he said after clocking in at the menteri besar office on the 6th floor of Wisma Darul Iman here today.

He also described as matter of “perception” the reports on changes in the equation of assemblymen in the state assembly.

Razif, 49, who is also state science, technology and innovation, energy, green technology and water committee chairman, was appointed menteri besar to replace Datuk Seri Ahmad Said on Monday.

He took his oath of office before the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Syarqiyyah here.

Ahmad Razif, the state assemblyman for Seberang Takir for the second term since 2008, holds a Master of Science in Guidance and Counselling from Universiti Putra Malaysia.

He has served as the Exco for Education, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Human Resource.

Previously, he was Terengganu Umno Information head.