KUALA LUMPUR: Adamant in not wanting newly-minted Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Azlan Man to retain power, Tambun Tulang state assemblyman Datuk Ismail Kassim said he will submit eight new names for Raja Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail's consideration.
He said neither he nor Azlan should lead the state.
"I don't want to be accused of being power hungry, I don't want my father to roll in his grave because of unsavoury things happening here," he said.
Insisting that he no longer want the post, he said to resolve the impasse, the Ruler should reconsider his appointment of Azlan as menteri besar for the second term.
"We plead to His Majesty to make this final consideration for the sake of the Perlis people,"
"Let it not be Ismail Kassim, not Azlan Man but another eight names." he said at a press conference last night.
Earlier, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin expressed his disappointment over the absence of nine Barisan Nasional assemblymen at Azlan's swearing-in ceremony at Istana Arau in Perlis.
Elaborating further, Ismail said they had rejected Azlan because "he has no leadership quality to help bring the state to greater heights".
He claimed that the assemblyman had failed to attend to the needs of his own constituency.
"People know his record in Pauh was not so clear. How can we allow a division chief who has failed to lead the state."
Ismail also claimed that Azlan, during his tenure as MB, was not willing to listen to criticism.
"He can't accept criticism and will not listen to other people's opinion," he claimed.
Meanwhile, Ismail hoped that the crisis in the state would be resolved after Hari Raya celebrations.
"We will support anyone from the list of eight chosen by His Majesty," he said, insisting that they were not "power crazy".
BN had retained control of Perlis by winning 10 out of 15 state seats in the 14th General Election.
Pakatan Harapan won three seats while Pas won two.
Azlan was sworn in yesterday as Perlis MB for the second term, ending 14 days of political uncertainty in the state.
The crisis unfolded after Perlis BN chairman Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim tapped his younger brother, Ismail to become the new state MB.