Perlis PAS Ulama Council chief Ahmad Adnan Fadzil said those tasked with negotiating with the Perlis palace on behalf of PAS regarding the change of menteri besar failed to do so effectively, although he mentioned no names.

He also said he had been informed that “in the final moments before the announcement of a new menteri besar from Bersatu, the Perlis ruler was still open to the possibility of a PAS candidate filling the role”.

“However, the PAS assemblymen failed to play their proper role when the Perlis ruler presented them with this option,” he said in a Facebook post.

Adnan said the ongoing polemic involving Perlis PAS, including three assemblymen who had ceased to be members of the party, did not involve any element of betrayal.

“The same goes for Bersatu, which in my view was not directly involved in this turmoil,” he said, adding that placing the entire blame on Bersatu was unfair.

The appointment of Bersatu’s Abu Bakar Hamzah came after five assemblymen from Bersatu and three from PAS reportedly submitted statutory declarations to the Perlis ruler withdrawing their support for Sanglang assemblyman Shukri Ramli, who resigned as menteri besar due to health reasons.

Adnan said the more mature and responsible course of action would be to reclaim the mandate, reassess mistakes and make corrections.

“No one needs to resign,” he said, urging PAS to return to the exco line-up.

“The Perlis government should continue to be administered as before, namely by Perikatan Nasional, with an exco line-up comprising PAS and Bersatu, with the only change being the post of menteri besar.”

Yesterday, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the party’s elected representatives who are currently serving as exco members would resign, in a show of solidarity with Shukri.

He said PAS would also refuse any exco post in Abu Bakar’s new line-up.