Perlis political crisis not Bersatu’s fault, no betrayal involved – Pas Perlis Ulama chief

KANGAR – As blame continues to circulate over the Perlis political crisis, Pas Perlis Ulama Wing chief Ahmad Adnan Fadzil insists Bersatu is not responsible and that no betrayal took place.

He said the current polemic, including the decision to suspend the membership of three Pas State Assemblymen, must be viewed fairly and comprehensively without being influenced by sentiment or emotional pressure.

“I remain firm in my position that there is no element of betrayal in this crisis. Likewise, Bersatu, in my view, was not involved at all in the crisis,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

Ahmad Adnan said Pas is still unable to win elections entirely on its own strength, despite having a solid machinery and grassroots network, and therefore requires political cooperation to make up for certain shortcomings.

He said while Pas is undeniably strong in terms of its organisational machinery, it still lacks other crucial strengths, including the confidence of some segments of the public and political rapport.

“Pas needs a coalition to address these shortcomings. At present, the most ideal partnership is with Bersatu. Perikatan Nasional (PN) should be maintained,” he said.

Commenting on the root of the crisis, Ahmad Adnan said it stemmed from the failure of certain parties to carry out their responsibilities effectively, particularly in negotiations with the palace.

He said the failure to engage in effective discussions after Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail had conveyed his intention regarding a change of Menteri Besar over alleged misconduct involving the royal institution had resulted in the Raja of Perlis having to fully exercise His Royal discretion.

He also claimed that the document commonly referred to as a statutory declaration (SD) was not signed elsewhere but was executed in the presence of Tuanku Raja himself.

“This would not have happened if those entrusted with the responsibility had played their roles properly from the beginning,” he said.

Ahmad Adnan further revealed that in the final moments before the announcement of a new Menteri Besar from Bersatu, Tuanku Raja of Perlis had still opened the door for the position to remain with a Pas representative, but the opportunity was not utilised by the Pas assemblymen involved.

Meanwhile, he said claims that Pas candidates in Perlis were bound by a bai‘ah during the 15th General Election (GE15) should be investigated and clarified transparently, as it was understood that no such bai‘ah was signed at the time.

As such, he stressed that placing the entire blame on Bersatu was unfair and could trigger unnecessary pressure, including calls for resignations.

“No one needs to resign. What is more important is to reassess the mistakes that occurred, make corrections and continue carrying out the trust with greater maturity and responsibility,” he said.

Ahmad Adnan also said the Perlis state government should continue to be administered by PN as before, with changes limited only to the Menteri Besar’s post, while a by-election should be avoided as PN would face difficulties securing a win under the current circumstances.