This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 22, 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: Now that Kedah Umno has openly declared its loss of confidence in Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, it is up to the palace to step in and resolve the situation, said constitutional expert Dr Abdul Aziz Bari.

The Universiti Selangor lecturer during Wednesday night’s solidarity gathering for Mukhriz in Alor Setar poked holes in Kedah Umno deputy chairman Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah’s claim that Mukhriz no longer has support.

“The key is in the hands of the Sultan because both sides are flexing their muscles and refusing to enter the battlefield.

“Ahmad Bashah refuses to table a vote of no confidence and is merely using press conferences to urge Mukhriz to step down, while the menteri besar is hiding behind the ‘people’,” Abdul Aziz told The Malaysian Insider.

He said a state legislative assembly sitting could be called to put to the test Kedah Umno’s claim that Mukhriz is suffering from a loss of confidence.

He said Mukhriz could also seek an audience with the Kedah sultan and request that the assembly be dissolved.

But Abdul Aziz said regardless of the two options, the palace must call for an assembly sitting so that Ahmad Bashah and his supporters could prove their claim.

“This must be done before the state assembly is dissolved,” said Abdul Aziz.

He said the state assembly could only be dissolved on Mukhriz’s request if the vote of no confidence does not materialise and both sides reach an impasse.

“Such a scenario cannot go on because it will leave the people confused. The palace can diffuse the situation,” said Abdul Aziz, who had written a book on the role of the palace.

“The palace needs to watch out and not sit back quietly. The palace’s role is to ensure the state does not dissolve into chaos.”

Ahmad Bashah told a press conference on Wednesday that Kedah Umno had started a move to oust Mukhriz as menteri besar, after declaring a loss of confidence in his leadership.

He said 14 state division and wing leaders want party president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to remove Mukhriz.

On Wednesday night, hundreds of Mukhriz’s supporters gathered at the Bangunan Tunku Umno Kedah in Alor Setar in solidarity with him.

Another constitutional expert, Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, reportedly said Mukhriz’s position as menteri besar could only be determined through a confidence vote in the state assembly or the Kedah Council of Regency. — The Malaysian Insider