IPOH: Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad has denied claims that Pengkalan Baru assemblyman Abdul Manaf Hashim was appointed as his adviser for his efforts to oust Ahmad Faizal Azumu as state chief.
Saarani said Manaf’s appointment was due to his capabilities, and not because he had raised a confidence vote against Faizal in the state assembly earlier this month.
“There were no rewards or promises involved. Whenever there is an available position, I need to fill it. So, we chose someone who, in our opinion, deserves it,” he told reporters after a tree-planting event here in Taman Eko Rimba Kledang Saiong.
Manaf replaces his Umno colleague Sungai Manik assemblyman Zainol Fadzi Paharudin, who was previously appointed as Faizal’s adviser.
The motion of confidence in Faizal on Dec 4 saw him being defeated by 48 votes to 10, with one abstention, forcing his resignation and eventually a change in the state government.
Following his swearing-in as the new chief minister, Saarani made Manaf his adviser on Dec 23, sparking much speculation on the appointment.