This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 2, 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants Kedah Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen he met on Sunday to accept the new menteri besar, who will replace Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, an Umno Kedah source revealed.

Najib, who is also Umno president, met the BN reps again at his private residence in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, to tell them that he had obtained the consent of the Kedah Sultan and the Recency Council to replace Mukhriz.

“Najib called all the assemblymen to announce that he has the consent of the palace.

“The letter from the Kedah Sultan has been received and Najib has announced to the Regency Council the person to replace Mukhriz,” the source said.

However, Najib did not reveal the new menteri besar during the meeting, but expressed hope that all present would accept the decision, due to be made known yesterday.

“He did not announce the name of the new menteri besar; he just hoped that all of us would accept the decision,” the source said.

Media reports have speculated that three names were presented to the palace for consideration, but this was not revealed by Najib himself.

Various media have reported that deputy liaison chief Datuk Ahmad Bashah Hanipah would be appointed to the post.

As to the meeting between all the assemblymen and the Regency Council at Wisma Darul Aman in Kedah, the source said that it was merely a formality before a new menteri besar is appointed.

“The meeting with the assemblymen is just a formality.

“The decision and consent have been obtained to change the menteri besar,” the source said.

Bernama reported that 20 of the 21 BN state assemblymen were present at the audience with the Regency Council yesterday evening.

According to one of the assemblymen present at the meeting, only Mukhriz was absent.

At the meeting with Najib on Sunday night, all the assemblymen were in attendance except for Mukhriz, who is Ayer Hitam assemblyman, and his ally Datuk Aminuddin Omar, the Jitra assemblyman.

“The meeting went well and those present accepted Najib’s decision to replace Mukhriz,” he said.

The swearing-in is expected to take place before the state executive council meets tomorrow.

The imbroglio over Kedah’s menteri besar has gone on for more than a week since Bashah held the press conference on Jan 20 demanding Mukhriz’s removal. — The Malaysian Insider/Bernama