MELAKA: Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali has refuted speculation that he has resigned as the Chief Minister.
“I am still the Chief Minister and have just returned from a business trip in Sarajevo (the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina).
“(Melaka Industrial and Investment Committee chairman) Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh accompanied me there,” he said in a statement.
Sulaiman said he believed those behind the fake news have a political agenda and are out to destabilise the state government.
Earlier, Rauf, who is also Tanjung Bidara assemblyman, said there was no reason for him and others in Melaka Umno to go after Sulaiman as they had pledged to adhere to the Barisan Nasional’s manifesto for the state election in November last year.
The manifesto named Sulaiman as the coalition’s candidate for the Chief Minister’s post.
Several Umno insiders have claimed attempts are being made to nominate Sulaiman as the Melaka Barisan Nasional and state Umno chairman.
Sulaiman has been Lendu state assemblyman since 2013.
He held the deputy executive councillor Finance, Lands, Economic Planning, Investment, Religious Affairs, Heritage, Youth and Tourism portfolio before Barisan lost in GE14.
Pakatan Harapan, which had governed the state after the 14th General Election, lost its power following a political coup, where the coalition was toppled by Perikatan Nasional.
Following the political coup, Sulaiman was appointed as the chief minister.
However, on Oct 4 last year, a snap election was called prematurely following a political crisis when four assemblymen who supported Sulaiman announced the loss of confidence and withdrawal of their support for him.
A state election was called. It saw Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional (PN) competing against each other. BN, through Umno, announced the party would not cooperate with PN, led by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
Barisan won a landslide victory in the state election, winning 21 seats and a two-thirds majority.
Sulaiman was reinstated as the chief minister.