KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be meeting Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin concerning the appointment of the Terengganu menteri besar as soon as possible.

"I will certainly be meeting Tuanku Mizan. I wish I could have done it yesterday," Abdullah said in response to a question on whether he would be seeking an audience with Tuanku Mizan.

On Sunday, the Terengganu Regency Advisory Council issued Kijal assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Said a letter appointing him menteri besar.

The appointment went against Abdullah's and the Barisan Nasional state assemblymen's choice of state liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh for the post.

Ahmad began his duties yesterday.



Speaking after launching the Invest Malaysia 2008 conference yesterday, Abdullah said he was confident the dispute would be resolved soon.

"There are ways of overcoming the issue.

"We know what the situation is and I know we can address the problem."

He said certain quarters were taking advantage of the impasse surrounding the appointment of the menteri besar to further their agendas.

"We know that there are people exploiting the situation for their own ends and causing confusion.

"We have to remain cool while acknowledging the need to address this issue."

Asked what measures he would take, Abdullah, who is Umno president, said: "You will know when we announce them."

On whether he would expel Ahmad, the prime minister replied: "That is a matter for the Umno supreme council."