Umno Supreme Council to meet on Melaka crisis

The Umno Supreme Council will hold a meeting this Thursday to discuss the political crisis in Melaka, says party secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.

“State Umno liaison committee chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh together with Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali will present to the Supreme Council all recommendations and measures on what must be done after this.

“Of course, the president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) and deputy president (Mohamad Hasan) as well as the prime minister (Ismail Sabri Yaakob) will give their views on the political situation in Melaka,” he told reporters after a meeting with Melaka Umno liaison committee leaders in Klebang last night.

Melaka state assembly speaker Rauf had said on Oct 5 that Yang Dipertua Negeri Mohd Ali Rustam had considered and decided to dissolve the state assembly on Oct 4, paving the way for a state election.

This came after four state assemblymen – Idris Haron (BN-Sungai Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (BN-Pantai Kundor), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Independent-Pengkalan Batu) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas) – declared that they had lost confidence in Sulaiman and withdrew their support for him.

The Barisan Nasional-led Melaka government had been represented by 17 assemblymen, comprising 14 from Umno, two from Bersatu and one BN-friendly independent, while the opposition held 11 seats, namely seven by DAP, and two each by PKR and Amanah.

Asked about the number of seats to be contested and the candidates contesting, Ahmad said the matter is still being discussed and has not been finalised.