KUALA KANGSAR: New Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said Perak Pakatan Harapan (PH) had offered him a "convincing" deal, which proved to be the deciding factor in choosing them over Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Saarani, who is Kota Tampan assemblyman, said Perak BN was prepared to become the opposition following its defeat in the 15th General Election, where it won only nine out of 59 state seats.
"Not many people understand the process, with BN having won only nine state seats. In fact, at that particular time, we were ready to become the opposition.
"But to have an opposition bloc, we need to have a government. Yet it couldn't be formed.
"PH and PN won 24 and 26 state seats, respectively, and had they merged, it would have been 50 state seats. That didn't happen.
"PH and PN could not sit together to form the government. So we couldn't let this uncertainty continue as the state assembly sitting needs to be held to approve the budget," he told reporters at the Casuarina Hotel here today.
Saarani said PH representatives had approached him and offered him the menteri besar post, three state executive councillor posts for BN as well as the state speaker role.
"They gave us a share of the responsibility in the coalition government, compared to PN who didn't offer us any roles. That is why I chose PH," he said.
Saarani added that the three exco members would be sworn in at the Istana Iskandariah at 11.30am tomorrow.
Asked whether PN had approached him, Saarani said that after the GE15 results were announced, Perak PN secretary Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin met him at 3am.
"He told me he couldn't do anything as he was only the secretary and was only meeting me to organise another appointment with Peja (Perak PN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu).
"About 10am yesterday, I met Datuk Peja and Zainol and I was told about the offers (by PH). If they want to offer me anything, please do so. But by yesterday night, I still hadn't received anything," he said.
Asked to comment on analysts' views that BN chose PH over PN due to the menteri besar post, Saarani merely replied that he chose "the best offer".
"When any coalition offers us a chance to form the state government and give us a role in the state administration, of course I have to accept it.
"If I don't accept it, I would have been considered stupid. Am I right?"
Saarani added that the roles offered by PH were more suitable as he could now continue the Perak Sejahtera 2030 goal he had previously introduced.
Asked if there is a specific name for this new coalition, Saarani briefly said 'Perak Unity Government'.
In the 15th General Election (GE15), PN captured 26 seats, PH 24 seats while BN had nine seats. A total of 30 seats are required for a simple majority to form the Perak government.