Ahmad Said
Encyclopedia
Datuk Seri Ahmad Said is the Menteri Besar
of the state of Terengganu
, Malaysia since 2008. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation
(UMNO) which is part of the nation ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. He is currently the state assemblyman
of Kijal, Terengganu.
graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia
, and was elected an assemblyman in 1990. He is currently married, with eight children.
Within the party, he previously held the titles of Terengganu UMNO and Kemaman UMNO Youth Chief, and was also the Exco member of National UMNO Youth wing. His current position is that of Committee member of the Terengganu UMNO Youth Chief and holds the position of Kemaman UMNO division chief.
, Barisan Nasional
managed to win a majority in the Terengganu
state election garnering 24 out of 32 state seats on offer, with PAS
winning the remaining 8 seats.
In the formation of the new Terengganu state government, the federal government under the then Prime Minister
(PM) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
put forth the reappointment of Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh
to a second term as Menteri Besar
. Abdullah claimed Idris received full support of twenty-three of the 24 Barisan Nasional state assemblymen elected.
In what political analysts described as a possible constitutional crisis
, trouble began to precipitate after the Sultan of Terengganu
, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is also the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong
(King) of Malaysia refused to re-appoint and swear in Idris as Menteri Besar. Similar problems occurred in the state of Perlis
where the PM's choice was also rejected and eventually the PM had to give in to the Raja of Perlis.
On 22 March 2008, the office of the Sultan of Terengganu
announced the appointment of Kijal assemblyman Ahmad Said instead of Idris Jusoh
.
The Prime Minister responded by saying that the appointment of Ahmad Said was "unconstitutional" as it went against the wishes of the assemblymen and the Prime Minister's office who have supported Idris Jusoh
's candidacy for Menteri Besar. The 22 other BN assemblymen had also pledged their support toward the appointment of Idris Jusoh according to the then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
.
In spite of threats to strip Ahmad Said of his UMNO membership "for disobeying the leadership", he went to the office in Wisma Darul Iman
to begin the first day of his new appointment on 25 March 2008. Ahmad Said
was subsequently stripped of his UMNO membership. This technically disqualified him from representing the state UMNO and therefore commanding the majority in the legislative assembly to be appointed as Menteri Besar in the first place.
The ruling party also planned to vote down the Sultan's choice through a motion of no-confidence by 22 UMNO state assemblymen. The opposition party Parti Islam SeMalaysia in the meantime promised that its assemblymen would support Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar.
On 26 March 2008, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
and Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin met at Istana Negara
to resolve the impasse. The Prime Minister reversed his stance and decided to accept the King's appointment of Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar of Terengganu. He also apologized to the King for the public spat over the appointment of the Menteri Besar, explaining that there was no intention to disparage or humiliate the royal household. The apparent backdown was due to threat that the royal household would be prepared to dissolve the state assembly if the motion of no-confidence was initiated against Ahmad Said, which would trigger another election in what is already a climate of discontent towards the ruling party and the possibility of dissenting assemblymen defecting to the opposition.
The UMNO Supreme Council proceeded to endorse Ahmad Said as the new Menteri Besar of Terengganu. With the resolution of the impasse, Ahmad Said expressed his gratefulness over his appointment and paid tribute to Idris, an old friend he has known since university, for the work he has done for the Terengganu people so far and to seek his advice. After the swearing in ceremony, he also expressed hope in moving on to discharge his responsibility to the people and eradicate poverty within the state.
Menteri Besar
The Menteri Besar is the chief executive of the state government for states in Malaysia with hereditary rulers. For states without a monarch, the title Chief Minister is used...
of the state of Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
, Malaysia since 2008. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....
(UMNO) which is part of the nation ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. He is currently the state assemblyman
Dewan Undangan Negeri
A state legislative assembly is the legislature of each of the 13 Malaysian states. Members of a state legislative assembly comprises elected representatives from single-member constituencies during state elections through the first-past-the-post system....
of Kijal, Terengganu.
Profile
Ahmad Said is a political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Universiti Sains Malaysia is a public university with its main campus in Penang, Malaysia. There are three branch campuses: one in mainland Penang , one in Kelantan on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and a offshore collaboration with a university in India...
, and was elected an assemblyman in 1990. He is currently married, with eight children.
Within the party, he previously held the titles of Terengganu UMNO and Kemaman UMNO Youth Chief, and was also the Exco member of National UMNO Youth wing. His current position is that of Committee member of the Terengganu UMNO Youth Chief and holds the position of Kemaman UMNO division chief.
Menteri Besar of Terengganu
Following the 2008 Malaysian general electionMalaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
, Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
managed to win a majority in the Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
state election garnering 24 out of 32 state seats on offer, with PAS
PAS (political party)
The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party commonly known as PAS or Pas, is an Islamist political party in Malaysia and is currently headed by Dato' Seri Abdul Hadi Awang...
winning the remaining 8 seats.
In the formation of the new Terengganu state government, the federal government under the then Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
(PM) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
put forth the reappointment of Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh
Idris Jusoh
Haji Idris bin Jusoh was the former Menteri Besar of the state of Terengganu, Malaysia. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation which is part of the nation ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.- Crisis in Terengganu :...
to a second term as Menteri Besar
Menteri Besar
The Menteri Besar is the chief executive of the state government for states in Malaysia with hereditary rulers. For states without a monarch, the title Chief Minister is used...
. Abdullah claimed Idris received full support of twenty-three of the 24 Barisan Nasional state assemblymen elected.
In what political analysts described as a possible constitutional crisis
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
, trouble began to precipitate after the Sultan of Terengganu
Sultan of Terengganu
Sultan of Terengganu is the title of the constitutional head of Terengganu state in Malaysia. The current sultan, Mizan Zainal Abidin, is the seventeenth Sultan of Terengganu...
, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is also the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
(King) of Malaysia refused to re-appoint and swear in Idris as Menteri Besar. Similar problems occurred in the state of Perlis
Perlis
Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. It is bordered by the state of Kedah to the south...
where the PM's choice was also rejected and eventually the PM had to give in to the Raja of Perlis.
On 22 March 2008, the office of the Sultan of Terengganu
Sultan of Terengganu
Sultan of Terengganu is the title of the constitutional head of Terengganu state in Malaysia. The current sultan, Mizan Zainal Abidin, is the seventeenth Sultan of Terengganu...
announced the appointment of Kijal assemblyman Ahmad Said instead of Idris Jusoh
Idris Jusoh
Haji Idris bin Jusoh was the former Menteri Besar of the state of Terengganu, Malaysia. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation which is part of the nation ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.- Crisis in Terengganu :...
.
The Prime Minister responded by saying that the appointment of Ahmad Said was "unconstitutional" as it went against the wishes of the assemblymen and the Prime Minister's office who have supported Idris Jusoh
Idris Jusoh
Haji Idris bin Jusoh was the former Menteri Besar of the state of Terengganu, Malaysia. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation which is part of the nation ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.- Crisis in Terengganu :...
's candidacy for Menteri Besar. The 22 other BN assemblymen had also pledged their support toward the appointment of Idris Jusoh according to the then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...
.
In spite of threats to strip Ahmad Said of his UMNO membership "for disobeying the leadership", he went to the office in Wisma Darul Iman
Wisma Darul Iman
Wisma Darul Iman is Terengganu's state secretariat building. It is located in Kuala Terengganu....
to begin the first day of his new appointment on 25 March 2008. Ahmad Said
Ahmad Said
Datuk Seri Ahmad Said is the Menteri Besar of the state of Terengganu, Malaysia since 2008. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation which is part of the nation ruling coalition Barisan Nasional...
was subsequently stripped of his UMNO membership. This technically disqualified him from representing the state UMNO and therefore commanding the majority in the legislative assembly to be appointed as Menteri Besar in the first place.
The ruling party also planned to vote down the Sultan's choice through a motion of no-confidence by 22 UMNO state assemblymen. The opposition party Parti Islam SeMalaysia in the meantime promised that its assemblymen would support Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar.
On 26 March 2008, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
and Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin met at Istana Negara
Istana Negara
Istana Negara is the official residence of His Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. It stands on a 13 acre site, located at a commanding position on the slope of a hill of Bukit Petaling overlooking the Klang River, along Jalan Syed Putra.Another royal residence of the Yang di-Pertuan...
to resolve the impasse. The Prime Minister reversed his stance and decided to accept the King's appointment of Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar of Terengganu. He also apologized to the King for the public spat over the appointment of the Menteri Besar, explaining that there was no intention to disparage or humiliate the royal household. The apparent backdown was due to threat that the royal household would be prepared to dissolve the state assembly if the motion of no-confidence was initiated against Ahmad Said, which would trigger another election in what is already a climate of discontent towards the ruling party and the possibility of dissenting assemblymen defecting to the opposition.
The UMNO Supreme Council proceeded to endorse Ahmad Said as the new Menteri Besar of Terengganu. With the resolution of the impasse, Ahmad Said expressed his gratefulness over his appointment and paid tribute to Idris, an old friend he has known since university, for the work he has done for the Terengganu people so far and to seek his advice. After the swearing in ceremony, he also expressed hope in moving on to discharge his responsibility to the people and eradicate poverty within the state.