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Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (above) from the Islamic party PAS was installed as chief minister in Perak state, state media said, ending a public squabble among the three opposition parties. -- PHOTO: STAR
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KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S opposition was on Monday sworn into power in the last of the fifth states it won in landmark elections, but the ruling coalition was still trying to resolve power struggles elsewhere.
Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin from the Islamic party PAS was installed as chief minister in Perak state, state media said, ending a public squabble among the three opposition parties which will rule there in coalition.
The opposition alliance seized four more states and more than a third of parliamentary seats in March 8 polls, but the unexpected gains presented them with teething problems in forming workable coalitions.
An initial row over the selection of chief minister in Perak as well as the make-up of the state cabinet was solved after all 31 elected assembly members signed a power-sharing pact.
Meanwhile, tiny Perlis state - which was retained by the dominant Barisan Nasional coalition - remained in limbo after the Sultan who formally appoints chief ministers dumped the incumbent Shahidan Kassim.
Mr Shahidan, from the United Malays National Organisation (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, reports said on Monday.
They said that the Sultan's preferred choice Mohammad Isa Sabu, who is also from UMNO, was expected to be sworn in on Monday or Tuesday.
'According to a reliable source, Mohammad Isa would get to retain his appointment as chief minister by the King of Perlis,' the Star newspaper said, citing palace sources.
UMNO was also having problems in northeastern Terengganu state, 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 said.
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, Mr 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. -- AFP
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