Call fresh polls, Kedah PAS tells Mukhriz after losing Umno confidence

(Malay Mail Online) – Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir must call for fresh elections now that he no longer commands the support of his own party, the state PAS chapter said today.

Kedah PAS commissioner Dr Ahmad Fakhruddin Fakhrurazi said merely changing the candidate for the mentri besar post would not change anything as the state would still be controlled by Umno.

“If he dares, Muhkriz should dissolve the state assembly and call for fresh elections to seek a new mandate to govern as MB… do that and we can see whether the people of Kedah still want him there,” Ahmad Fakhruddin told Malay Mail Online.

“No point just changing the mentri besar, it’s still Umno. End all doubts by calling for a state election,” he added.

The Kedah opposition leader said that PAS will meet soon to discuss the latest political developments.

Earlier today, Kedah Umno leaders expressed their loss of confidence in Mukhriz as state mentri besar.

Kedah Umno deputy chairman Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah made the announcement at a press conference in Alor Setar today, listing three reasons for the ruling party’s move against the son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who has been publicly criticising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The reasons they gave were Mukhriz’s purported failure to unite Umno and the party machinery in Kedah, the lack of a strategic plan for Umno to face the 14th general election, and his purported failure to govern the state.

Among the Umno leaders present at the press conference were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, Kedah Wanita Umno chief Datuk Maznah Abd Hamid, Kedah Umno Youth chief Datuk Shaiful Azizy Zainal Abidin and Kedah Puteri Umno chief Datin Norashimah Md Nowar.

According to Ahmad Bashah’s statement, about 100 people attended the press conference comprising Kedah Umno leaders and the majority of state and federal lawmakers from Kedah Umno.

“DS has not made a statement regarding this matter yet; he is in a meeting. He is aware of this, and when he does make a statement we will inform the press,” an aide to Mukhriz told Malay Mail Online when contacted, referring to his boss by his abbreviated honorific title.