KANGAR - Datuk Seri Azlan Man was sworn in on Thursday (May 24) for a second term as the Menteri Besar of Perlis, Malaysia's smallest state.

But just hours later, Perlis Umno said it has sacked Mr Azlan from the party, New Straits Times (NST) reported, creating a new crisis in the state known for its sweet golden mango called harumanis.

The kerfuffle added to the woes in Umno, the lead party in the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, after its shocking loss in the May 9 general election.

BN won 10 of the 15 seats in the state legislature in the May 9 general election.

Three wards were won by rival Pakatan Harapan and two by Parti Islam SeMalaysia.

But despite the clear BN victory, it has failed to appoint a menteri besar in the last two weeks since the polls.

This is due to a tussle between Mr Azlan and another BN-Umno faction led by former menteri besar Shahidan Kassim, who wants to make his younger brother the next leader of the state, Malaysian media has reported.

While the other Malaysian states have sworn in their Cabinet members and got down to work, Perlis has been gripped by the political tussle.

Only Mr Azlan and the five state opposition members turned up on Thursday for the swearing in ceremony by the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, The Star reported on its website.

The other nine Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen did not turn up.

They held a meeting and led by Datuk Seri Shahidan announced that Mr Azlan has been sacked from Umno, NST said.

The termination leaves Mr Azlan as a Menteri Besar without a party.

The crisis is a fresh blow to BN, which controls only three state assemblies after the polls - Sarawak, Pahang and Perlis.