Shahidan said the statutory declarations signed by the eight were done independently and were not the result of any directive by central leaders.

“What is happening now is more towards speculation. We will attend a (PN) central leadership meeting soon and decide on the next course of action,” he said, according to Utusan Malaysia.

The Arau MP added that decisions on matters like the menteri besar’s post should be determined by the coalition’s central leadership before being presented to the Raja of Perlis.

Shahidan also played down the apparent loss of confidence in Shukri to mere differences of opinion rather than a major crisis.
The priority now is to find a solution to the issue, he added.

“We won the state (in 2022) because the people saw us as united. I do not want this issue to be used by any party to weaken PN.

“I therefore urge all parties to remain calm, refrain from making excessive statements, and give the central leadership room to reach a final decision,” he said.

Yesterday, FMT quoted sources as saying that eight PN assemblymen had submitted statutory declarations to the Raja of Perlis declaring that they no longer back Shukri.

According to the sources, five of them are from Bersatu – Abu Bakar Hamzah (Kuala Perlis), Izizam Ibrahim (Titi Tinggi), Megat Hashirat Hassan (Pauh), Wan Zikri Afthar Ishak (Tambun Tulang) and Marzita Mansor (Sena).

The other three are from PAS – Saad Seman (Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji).

The 15-member Perlis assembly comprises nine PAS assemblymen, including Shukri, five from Bersatu and one from PKR.

Shukri was reportedly receiving treatment in a hospital in Kuala Lumpur after experiencing chest pains upon returning from an overseas visit.

He was discharged this afternoon.