Setting emotions aside, former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said he would support the new state leadership and continue to work hard for the betterment of the state.
Shahidan said he supported the decision of the Raja of Perlis to appoint a new mentri besar and pledged to work together with his successor Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu.
“There is no question about it, I will work with him to ensure the rakyat and the state progress well.
“The state is more important than our emotions, and after all the fiasco in this little state, we have to work together now,” he said yesterday.
Dr Md Isa was sworn in as the new chief executive of the state on Monday evening.
Asked why he was not present at the swearing-in held at the Arau palace, Shahidan, who had earlier received the appointment letter
for the mentri besar’s post, said he was not informed about the ceremony.
“Maybe I was invited, but nobody informed me as I was busy packing my personal belongings at the official residence.
“If I had known, I would definitely have been there,” said Shahidan, who is state Barisan Nasional chairman.
On banners put up supporting his leadership barely two hours after the swearing-in, Shahidan said he was not aware of this.
He said the Kangar Municipal Council should remove all banners or posters, and only those with approval should be allowed, to avoid unnecessary problems.
A check yesterday showed that three banners supporting Shahidan that were placed at a roundabout near the Putra Palace Hotel had been removed.
The only banners remaining were those supporting Dr Md Isa.
On the recent fiasco surrounding the appointment of the mentri besar, Shahidan said:
“I regret that all the negative issues are somehow related to me. It is not nice to hurt people’s feelings and accuse me or make slanderous remarks.”
“With the approval of the council, I will be putting up banners with the slogan “Raja dan Rakyat Berpisah Tiada” (The Raja and people will not be separated),” he added.
Shahidan said he would provide his best service to the people, adding that he would give back his allowance, pension and gratuity to the government (JKR) to build mosques in the state.
On the animals that he used to keep at the mentri besar’s official residence, Shahidan said the ostriches had been sent to Universiti Malaysia Perlis while his goats were given away to some friends.
“I am not sure where I will be moving to, but I am temporarily staying with my sister.
“I am a very humble person with no hidden agenda,” he said with a smile.
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