THE late-night swearing-in of Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman as the
new Mentri Besar for Terengganu on Monday was the first hint that all
was not well in the state.
The other hint was the glaring no-show by Razif’s predecessor Datuk
Ahmad Said. By then, political circles in Terengganu were abuzz with
speculation that Ahmad had resigned from Umno and declared himself to
become an independent assemblyman for Kijal.
Just hours after the swearing-in, it was confirmed that Ahmad, deeply
frustrated and unable to accept his fate, had also persuaded two other
assemblymen – Ghazali Taib (Ajil) and Roslee Daud (Bukit Besi) – to
follow him out of the party into the no man’s land of politics.
Terengganu was on the road to yet another constitutional crisis. The
irony is that it is the second such crisis associated with Ahmad who
came to power in 2008 after a protracted standoff between the Palace and
Umno over the choice of Mentri Besar.
For much of yesterday, Terengganu was throbbing with speculation that
more assemblymen would jump ship and that the State Legislative
Assembly would be dissolved.
But the situation seems to have been contained, thanks to intense
behind-the-scenes intervention by top Umno leaders. Two of the
assemblymen concerned have since been persuaded to retract their
resignations.
The State Assembly is also not going to be dissolved any time soon.
As Umno politician Datuk Wan Farid Wan Salleh put it: “The Sultan cannot
simply act to dissolve the State Assembly based on what is reported in
the media.”
Wan Farid said the assemblymen involved have to formally inform the
State Assembly that they are now independent members and a confidence
vote will be taken at the next State Assembly sitting in September where
the fate of the state government will be decided.
“It would be a different story if they had made it clear that they are with PAS.
“But they are independents and the Speaker cannot assume that they are with the other side,” he said.
But that, apparently, was the option of last resort for Umno. All the
Umno assemblymen in Terengganu had signed open-dated letters after the
general election, pledging to vacate their seats if they defect from
Umno and the party had intended to hold them to their word.
Despite claims that PAS is preparing to join forces with the trio to
form the next government, a PAS leader from Terengganu claimed there had
been no meetings with the defectors and that they are in wait-and-see
mode for now.
But there is no doubt that PAS can smell the prospect of power and
even has a potential candidate for Mentri Besar, in the form of Manir
assemblyman Hilmi Harun, a young ulama whose late father was the
hardline Datuk Harun Taib who had led the party’s Dewan Ulama.
Ahmad, who is known for his street-fighter style of politics, is probably revelling in the upheaval he has created.
He does not seem to care about how history will view him and as one
Umno politician put it, he is “making don’t know” about the fact that he
had signed a letter agreeing to stay for only a year after Terengganu
almost fell in the general election.
He also does not seem to be making any immediate effort to move out
of the official residence of the Mentri Besar in Kuala Terengganu.
As his successor was being sworn in on Monday night, Ahmad was
entertaining several of his stalwarts and supporters in the official
residence. There were only a few cars parked outside, but the whole
place was brightly lit, as though something big was going on.
Ahmad, according to one of those present, was in a jovial mood,
joking and smiling through the night. It could be his usual bravado
although it is possible that he may be enjoying the moment for all it is
worth.
He told those present that he had pleaded with the Prime Minister for
one more month when they met on Monday morning because he was planning
to have a second wedding kenduri in his constituency for his daughter who got married last Saturday.
He also told them that Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob should go first and not him.
But basically, the leadership transition has been poorly managed.
Umno politicians claimed that the Putrajaya official who was in charge
of the matter had under-estimated Ahmad.
On Monday night, the official was more interested in mingling with
the new Mentri Besar instead of doing whatever he could to contain the
fallout from the leadership transition.
Many in Umno have been at a loss to figure out what Ahmad is all
about. His rise to power was very controversial and his exit has been
even more controversial.
He not only refused point-blank to take responsibility for nearly
losing the state in the general election, he has tried to bring down the
Barisan government.
He had advertised himself as the “rakyat’s MB”, but his actions show
that the rakyat is the last thing on his mind and that it is all about
himself and his political ego.
His associates said that he has lost face, his pride has been injured
and that was why he is fighting back. But his critics think he is being
spiteful, full of revenge and does not seem to understand that the
Mentri Besar’s position is not personal to holder.
The Prime Minister had wanted to give Ahmad a “soft landing” when he
agreed to let him stay on for one year. But the “soft landing” became a
hard landing because Ahmad was not ready to be grounded.
Joceline Tan, The Star
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