The deputy of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia has lost his majority test in the Perak state assembly, bringing an end to his two-year tenure as Perak menteri besar.
The vote yesterday also exposed the rift between Bersatu and its Perikatan Nasional (PN) ally Umno in the northern Malaysian state.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu garnered support of only 10 out of 59 state assemblymen during the Perak state assembly sitting. He is deputy president of Bersatu, whose president is Tan Sri Muhyiddin.
The vote followed a confidence motion filed by a lawmaker from Umno, Bersatu's ally in both the state and federal administrations.
In a secret ballot, 48 state assemblymen voted against him, with one spoilt vote. All 24 Perak opposition lawmakers from Pakatan Harapan (PH) voted against him, along with 24 other assemblymen who are Bersatu's allies in the state.
The confidence test in Perak reignited calls for a confidence test on PM Muhyiddin in the federal Parliament, where PN leads with a wafer-thin majority.
Numerous confidence and no-confidence motions have been submitted to test Mr Muhyiddin's majority since he became prime minister nine months ago, but none of the motions had been read or debated.
The Perak confidence motion against the chief minister was filed by assemblyman Aznel Ibrahim, who is from Umno, earlier this week.
Datuk Aznel was appointed as Mr Ahmad Faizal's political secretary last month without consultation with Perak Umno - one of the moves that reportedly caused further unhappiness among Umno ranks with the latter's leadership.
Perak opposition leader Abdul Aziz Bari had previously noted that Umno and Bersatu are "at war" in the state.
Right after the vote was ratified by the state assembly, Mr Ahmad Faizal indicated that he would resign as Perak state chief and ensure "a smooth transition to the new government". He told the state assembly: "It is a great honour to serve the beloved state. In these challenging times for our economy, I do not want to prolong a political crisis."
He later added that he believed there will be no change in the state government, only a change in the seat of the state chief executive.
Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said later the confidence vote would only result in the change of the menteri besar's post and not those of the other state executive councillors who make up the state Cabinet. His statement came after Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, secretary-general of Parti Islam SeMalaysia - an ally of both Umno and Bersatu - said his party would not take part in any bid to form a new government in Perak.
Mr Ahmad Faizal originally became the menteri besar as part of the PH administration after PH won the elections in Perak in 2018. He quit the post earlier this year, but was reappointed after PN formed a new state government.
Umno has 25 seats in Perak. PN's two other components, Bersatu and PAS, have five and three seats, respectively. There are another two legislators who back the PN administration - bringing the bloc's number to 35 assemblymen.
A new menteri besar would need the support of at least 30 assemblymen.
