KANGAR: The political deadlock in Perlis is about to come to a close with the nine Barisan Nasional “rebels” accepting Datuk Seri Azlan Man as the mentri besar and apologising to the Raja of Perlis.

Sources have indicated that the nine assemblymen, who were a no-show at Azlan’s swearing-in ceremony last Thursday, would heed Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail’s call to support Azlan.

Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told The Star that the impasse would soon come to an end, almost three weeks after the May 9 polling day.

He, however, declined to reveal details.

“I have given my word to the Raja of Perlis that I will not divulge details to anyone until an official announcement is made,” said Dr Ahmad Zahid.

Beseri assemblyman Ruzaini Rais, who attended an event yesterday, told reporters there that they had not been disloyal to the palace.

“We will heed the Ruler’s call as our allegiance is to him and no one else,” he said.

In fact, he blamed the media for stirring up the controversy, saying: “Tuanku tidak akan murka kepada kami (the Ruler will not be angry with us).”

Ruzaini also said the crisis would end within a few days.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, when asked later about Ruzaini’s remarks about the impasse ending soon, said that Ruzaini could be quoted on this.

“Well you can quote him, if that is what he said,” he added.

Another assemblyman, who declined to be named, revealed that a meeting took place among the nine assemblymen and they came to a consensus to support Azlan as the mentri besar.

“Kami tidak derhaka terhadap Tuanku (we are not disloyal) as we are his subjects,” he said.

The assemblyman said all of them were back in Perlis and an official announcement would be made soon.

“Be patient, we will inform you.”

Barisan won 10 out of the 15 state seats.

But Malaysia’s smallest state ended up with a huge problem when nine assemblymen aligned to state Umno leader Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim boycotted the swearing-in ceremony in Arau on May 24.

The Raja of Perlis, obviously incensed with their action, said all the state assemblymen had shown disrespect by not backing his choice for the mentri besar post.

The Ruler said he did not appoint Shahidan’s brother Datuk Ismail Kassim, who is Tambun Tulang assemblyman, as he did not want a mentri besar who would end up like a puppet.

Shahidan hit back that very day, telling reporters in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur that Ismail had the support of the remaining nine assemblymen and that Azlan should be sacked by Umno for accepting the post.

Shahidan and his younger bro­ther Ismail could not be reached for comments yesterday.

Last Friday night, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein weighed in on the issue, saying that it should not have happened as the Ruler would have a good reason to pick Azlan.

Any sacking of an Umno member will be decided by the party’s supreme council after recommendation by the disciplinary board and not by the state chairman, he said.