BN still in power in Terengganu, says state legal advisor

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Barisan Nasional continues to hold power in Terengganu despite three assemblymen from Umno having declared themselves as independents, state legal advisor Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid said Tuesday.

He said that while the number of BN assemblymen had dropped from 17 to 14 and the opposition had 15 members in the state legislative assembly, the speaker was counted as a representative of the ruling state government, giving an equation of 15:15:3. The three assemblymen who quit Umno to become independents are former menteri besar and Kijal assemblyman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, who resigned from his post on Monday, and assemblymen Ghazali Taib (Ajil) and Roslee Daud (Bukit Besi).
Azhar, when contacted by Bernama, said the speaker was counted along with the 14 BN assemblymen and so the BN remained in power in the state.
Seberang Takir assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman was sworn in as the new mentri besar before Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Syarqiyyah in Cendering here at 9.25pm on Monday.

Azhar said his office was looking at state legislation in relation to the ongoing political developments.
Meanwhile, the Terengganu PAS Liaison Committee has convened a special meeting and state PAS commissioner Satiful Bahri Mamat said in a statement that “the necessary action is being taken” and “we will come up with the best solution to the crisis”.
PAS has 14 representatives in the state legislative assembly and PKR, one. – Bernama