Perlis PAS’s information chief, Zahid Ibrahim, said none of its elected representatives will table a no-confidence motion against menteri besar Abu Bakar Hamzah of Bersatu, following the postponement of the state assembly meeting.

“We remain united and will continue to support the government until the end of the current administration,” he said in a statement today.

The new meeting of the Perlis state assembly had been scheduled from April 21 to 23. However, on April 17, assembly secretary Anwar Sahul Hameed announced that it would be deferred. No new dates were set.

On April 19, Abu Bakar denied that the postponement was related to any issue of a vote of no-confidence or uncertainty over support for the state government under his leadership.

Instead, he said, it was to allow the state government to refine its administrative preparations so that the meeting could be conducted in a more orderly manner.

On April 21, Perlis PN chairman Shahidan Kassim said no no-confidence motion would be tabled against Abu Bakar, adding that PAS’s central leadership had decided to back the state government until the next state election.

Zahid said today the state PAS leadership unanimously agreed with Shahidan’s statement.

Relations between PN allies PAS and Bersatu in Perlis have been strained following the political crisis, which saw Sanglang assemblyman Shukri Ramli, of PAS, being replaced by Abu Bakar as menteri besar last December.

Eight PN assemblymen, including five from Bersatu, reportedly submitted statutory declarations to the ruler to withdraw their support for Shukri.