Fresh elections ultimate solution: Former Perlis MB

GEORGE TOWN: Former Perlis Mentri Besar Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh (pix) has called for the fresh state election to take place as the ultimate solution to the present power struggle in the state which has gone into its 27th day.
As of now, the country's smallest state remains without a valid state government as the newly sworn-in Mentri Besar; Bintong assemblyperson Datuk Seri Azlan Man was rejected by his own party – the Perlis Umno liaison committee.
Perlis Umno was headed by former federal minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.
Shahidan was reported as saying that he will report to the Umno national leadership to sack Azlan on grounds that he had defied the party by going ahead to accept the position without their consent.
Conventionally, an individual can assume the post of a mentri besar if he or she commands the majority of support from the House, but here, nine out of the 15 assemblypersons are with the state BN on this matter.
As the impasse continues, Hamid shared his opinion as a state's former mentri besar and a former Dewan Negara President, saying the best way out of this quagmire, was a fresh state election for the 15 constituencies.
"If BN gets its way of appointing a new Mentri Besar then BN wins but at the expense of the beloved palace. It is vice-versa here where either side comes out defeated. So the best way forward is a state election."
Hamid's stance mirrored what DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and its strategic adviser Liew Chin Tong had been saying for the past three weeks.
Hamid, aged 73, who was the mentri besar from 1986 to 1995 told theSun that under the state constitution, Article 39 (4) empowers the state Ruler to make an ultimate decision on state matters.
Article 39 (4) of the Perlis constitution reads that it allows the ruler, at his discretion, to depart from any conditions in the constitution and appoint any individual as mentri besar.
According to Hamid, Perlis has a constitution which is unlike certain federated states – the constitution was not amended from the British colonial era.
"Hence, the ruler can make the best decision. During the British era, the appointments of mentri besar were never contested. Therefore, the Ruler here enjoys the same convictions like during the colonial period."
But the clause has since been buried under the interest of democracy where the majority holds sway in disputable matters, he noted.
His remarks come hot on the heels of Perlis BN seeking to file an injunction in the High Court soon to challenge Azlan to let go of his post.
MORE TO FOLLOW