MELAKA: Dismissing allegations he was the mastermind behind an alleged coup against the Melaka Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Haron said he did not have such clout.

       The Sungai Udang assemblyman said he has no influence to sway Pakatan Harapan lawmakers to move against Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.

       “A minority of Melaka Umno lawmakers can’t simply influence a bigger group (Pakatan Harapan leaders) to change the state government,” he said.

       He was responding to a report which claimed the move to oust Sulaiman Md Ali was not initiated by Pakatan, and was due to internal problems with Melaka Umno.

       The report also alluded that Idris was in talks with Pakatan leaders on the move.

       Idris, who is the Melaka rural development, flood management and green technology committee chairman declined to elaborate when asked if he had met with state and federal Pakatan leaders on the alleged move.

       “Changing a government is not like changing (a) shirt. It’s not true,” Idris responded in a text message to The Star yesterday.

       Idris also denied there was a crossover attempt by the four Umno lawmakers to Pakatan.

       Last Friday, a purported attempt to oust Sulaiman as the Chief Minister fizzled out following intense internal conflict within a political party, causing the move to fail. Four DAP assemblymen were said to have pulled their support from the group to force Sulaiman out. It is believed to be the second bid by the leaders in the state to depose him.

       The plan, however, did not materialise due to differences within Melaka DAP, with the four refusing to work with those who did not share the same opinions with them in the previous Pakatan Harapan-led administration.

       The first attempt was alleged to have taken place in early August. It did not materialise as there was a change at the Federal level when Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in as Prime Minister.