Ahmad Said (politician)

Ahmad Said (born 15 February 1957) was the thirteenth Menteri Besar of Terengganu since 2008 until 12 May 2014. He is currently a Barisan Nasional state assemblyman of Kijal, Terengganu. He is a member of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), who attempted a no-confidence motion against his successor during the recent Terengganu state assembly meeting but failed.

In this Malay name, the name Said is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Ahmad.
Yang Berhormat Dato' Seri (Dr.)

Ahmad Said

SSMZ DPMT MLA
Menteri Besar of Terengganu
In office
25 March 2008 – 12 May 2014
Preceded byIdris Jusoh
Succeeded byAhmad Razif Abdul Rahman
Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly
for Kijal
Assumed office
2004
Preceded byMehamed Sulong
Majority3,496 (2004)
3,157 (2008)
4,204 (2013)
1,265 (2018)
In office
1990–1999
Preceded byMohd Mohd Min
Succeeded byMehamed Sulong
Majority1,834 (1990)
1,290 (1995)
Personal details
Born (1957-02-15) 15 February 1957
Teluk Kalong, Kemaman, Terengganu, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Political partyUnited Malays National Organisation (UMNO)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Nasional (BN)
Perikatan Nasional (PN)
Muafakat Nasional (MN)
Spouse(s)Norliza Mahmud
Children8
Alma materUniversiti Sains Malaysia

Profile

Ahmad Said is a political science graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia and was elected as an assemblyman in 1990. He has eight children with two women. His two wives live one kilometer apart.[1]

Menteri Besar of Terengganu

Following the 2008 Malaysian general election, 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.[2]

In what political analysts described as a possible constitutional crisis, trouble began to precipitate after the Sultan of Terengganu, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who was also then Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia, refused to re-appoint and swear in Idris as Menteri Besar.[3] 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.[4]

On 22 March 2008, the office of the Sultan of Terengganu announced the appointment of Kijal assemblyman Ahmad Said instead of Idris Jusoh.[5]

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.[6][7] 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.[8]

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.[9] 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.[9]

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.[10]

On 26 March 2008, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin met at Istana Negara to resolve the impasse.[11] The Prime Minister reversed his stance and decided to accept the King's appointment of Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar of Terengganu.[12][13] He also apologised 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.[14][12]

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.[15][16]

He resigned as Menteri Besar on 12 May 2014 making way for Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman, an assemblyman from Seberang Takir.[17][18] This was made as an agreement with the Prime Minister, Najib Razak that he will step down after a year in his second term.[19] He, however, did not step down without another controversy (or crisis during his appointment). He and Ajil assemblyman, Ghazali Taib, followed by Bukit Besi assemblyman, Roslee Daud,[20] quit UMNO, the ruling party in Terengganu and have caused the state to have a minority ruling government Barisan Nasional (14 state assemblyman) and a majority opposition Pakatan Rakyat (15 state assemblyman) with 3 independent assemblyman for the first time in Malaysia's history.[21][22] This is because he felt slighted when Najib Razak rejected his proposal to quit after his daughter's wedding reception.[23] However, all three then revoked their decision and returned to UMNO.[24] He later on pledged to give his full support to the new MB.[25]

Post-GE 14

He remained in the Kijal state seat during the 14th General Election and won against PAS and PH candidates with a majority of 1265 votes. He won the Kemaman UMNO division chief in the 2018 party elections but lost in his UMNO vice-presidency. He was re-appointed Terengganu Umno Liaison Chairman to replace Datuk Sri Mahadzir Khalid on January 11, 2019[26]

Honours
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References
  1. Tan, Joceline (11 November 2011). "MB fights back to hold on to seat". The Star. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  2. "23 Terengganu Assemblymen Pledge Support For Idris Jusoh". Bernama.
  3. Carolyn Hong (25 March 2008). "State tussle, national crisis?". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  4. "Malaysian king, prime minister in conflict over appointment as constitutional crisis looms". The Associated Press. 24 March 2008. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  5. "Malaysia: The MB For Terengganu Finally Appointed". Sin Chew.
  6. "Terengganu MB Appointment Unconstitutional, Says Abdullah". Bernama.
  7. "PM: Appointing anyone else is against Constitution". The Star. 24 March 2008. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  8. "23 Terengganu Assemblymen Pledge Support For Idris Jusoh, Says Najib". Bernama. 24 March 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  9. "Sultan's choice of MB stripped of Umno membership". The Star. 23 March 2008. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
  10. "PKR lodges report against Umno leaders and reps". The Star (Malaysia). 25 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  11. "PM to see King over MB issue". The Star (Malaysia). 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  12. "Ahmad Said stays Mentri Besar". Malaysia Insider. 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
  13. "Ahmad Said sworn in as Terengganu MB". The Star (Malaysia). 30 March 2008. Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  14. S JAYASANKARAN (25 March 2008). "Abdullah in sticky situation in Terengganu". The Business Times. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  15. "New Terengganu Menteri Besar Pays Tribute To Idris". Bernama. 30 March 2008. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  16. ROSLI ZAKARIA (30 March 2008). "Now we close ranks and work for the people". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  17. "Ahmad Said quits as Terengganu MB". 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  18. "Ahmad resigns, Razif appointed new MB". 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  19. "Ahmad Said Had Agreed To Being Replaced A Year Ago, Umno Veep Says". Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  20. "Roslee Daud quits UMNO to become independent". english.astroawani.com. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  21. "Yahoo". Yahoo. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. "In Umno exit, ex-MB says only wanted to step down after daughter's wedding". 13 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  24. "Ahmad Said and PM say sorry to each other over 'misunderstanding'". 14 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  25. "Ahmad Said pledges support to new MB - The Rakyat Post". 14 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  26. "Ahmad Said appointed Terengganu Umno chairman". 11 January 2019.
  27. "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Retrieved 26 January 2020.
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