Appointment of new Perlis MB tests Perikatan’s ability to restore public confidence, say analysts

KUALA LUMPUR: The appointment of Abu Bakar Hamzah (pic) as the new Mentri Besar, with the consent of the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, demonstrates that the political crisis in the state was addressed lawfully and in an orderly manner.

Universiti Malaya sociopolitical analyst Prof Datuk Awang Azman Awang Pawi said that though the appointment ended the state’s leadership vacuum, earlier internal turmoil within Perikatan Nasional continues to influence public perceptions of political stability in Perlis.

“From the public’s perspective, this change risks being viewed as an elite power shift without a new mandate, as it stemmed from the withdrawal of support by state assemblymen rather than an election, which could undermine perceptions of medium-term stability, even though short-term stability has been restored,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

On whether the appointment is sufficient to defuse the crisis, Awang Azman, also a Senior Fellow at the Malaysian Institute of National Affairs, said the appointment is primarily a damage-control measure rather than a solution, and while it ended the administrative crisis, it does not immediately address the trust deficit within Perikatan.

Meanwhile, political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said appointing a Bersatu representative as the Mentri Besar prioritised stability and majority support in the State Legislative Assembly following the internal crisis.

He said not retaining PAS as head of the administration demonstrated pragmatic steps taken to ensure the state government remained functional.

However, he said it also highlighted internal tensions within Perikatana, especially between PAS and Bersatu, which must be addressed to prevent future crises.

A similar view was echoed by Shahidah Abdul Razak, a senior lecturer in Political Science at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Seremban, who said that long-term stability depends on the new Menteri Besar’s ability to manage inter-party relations and rebuild internal trust.

Abu Bakar took the oath of office as the new Perlis Menteri Besar at 4.04pm on Sunday (Dec 28), following the resignation of his predecessor, Sanglang assemblyman Mohd Shukri Ramli, on Dec 25 due to health reasons.

The 57-year-old, who is Perlis Perikatan deputy chairman and the state Bersatu chief, won the Kuala Perlis state assembly seat in the 15th General Election (GE15) with a 154-vote majority.

On Dec 25, Perlis State Assembly Speaker Rus’sele Eizan announced extraordinary vacancies for the Chuping, Bintong, and Guar Sanji assembly seats in accordance with Clause (1)(a)(ii) of Article 50A of the Perlis State Constitution.

The extraordinary vacancies arose after PAS announced on Dec 24 that the memberships of three assemblymen, Saad Seman (Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong), and Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji), had ended following their withdrawal of support for Shukri.

In the GE15, Perlis Perikatan won 14 of the 15 state assembly seats, with PAS securing nine and Bersatu five, while Pakatan Harapan, through PKR, won one seat.- Bernama