Perlis MB sworn in, Terengganu still in limbo
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 17, 2008

Two new mentri besars have been sworn in today in Perak and Perlis, leaving Terengganu the only state without a leader. MCPX

The opposition was today sworn into power in Perak - the last of the fifth states it won in landmark elections, while the Raja of Perlis has this afternoon sworn in the candidate of its choice, Mohammad Isa Sabu.

In Perak, Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin from PAS was installed as mentri besar, ending a public squabble among the three opposition parties which will rule there in coalition.

Meanwhile, the tiny Perlis state - which was retained by the dominant Barisan Nasional coalition - the Perlis raja went ahead with his decision to dump the incumbent mentri besar Shahidan Kassim.

Shahidan, from Umno which leads the coalition, protested loudly and said he had the backing of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but appeared to have been silenced.

Md Isa's swearing-in ceremony took place at 5pm at the palace. Fourteen of the 15 elected assemblypersons, including the lone PAS respresentative, were there. The only one missing was Shahidan.

Still no news on Idris' fate

Umno was also having problems in Terengganu, where incumbent Idris Jusoh apparently has the backing of the majority of the state lawmakers, but has yet to be named as ruler by the palace.

"No decision has been made yet at this point, we have not received any news," said state Umno official Rosol Wahid.

"However our support is with Idris. We are happy with him but the decision will be in the hands of the ruler," he told AFP.

Malaysia's sultans have the constitutional right to appoint state leaders but in the past have rarely acted against the advice of the political leadership.

Now, however, Abdullah is fighting for his own political life as he fends off calls for his resignation to take responsibility for the election debacle - the worst performance in Barisan Nasional's half-century history.

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