Malaysia Update

POH: All 31 assemblymen forming a majority for the Barisan Nasional in Perak were interviewed individually by Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Muda Raja Dr Nazrin Shah yesterday.

Sources said it was a brief audience for 27 BN assemblymen but a longer one for the three independent assemblymen and Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasarudin Hashim, who is back with Umno.

"The sultan wanted to make sure that the independent assemblymen and Nasarudin fully supported BN and would help form a stable state government," a source said.

The three independents are Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (Changkat Jering), formerly of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, and Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang), formerly of DAP.

It is learnt that both an oral and written undertaking of support for the new state government and menteri besar was provided by the three assemblymen.
"The letters of undertaking were signed individually and submitted to the palace on Wednesday night," another source said.

"Obviously, the sultan is not taking any chances despite the apparently solid front. This will also be fair as the previous Pakatan Rakyat administration was also required to do the same."

Nizar's swearing-in as the 10th menteri besar in March last year was postponed twice due to the palace's doubts over whether the three parties -- the DAP, PKR and Pas -- could form a stable majority.