In a weekend trip to Perak, our group bump into a state government official at a restaurant and got invited to his more than a century old official home.
He shared the experiences of the new government vis-a-vis the previous government. One notable difference was the previous Menteri Besar take concern to ask the development on the various government programs implemented.
However, for good or bad, the current MB, Dato Faizal "Peja" Azumu does not do so and likely to deal direct with the state secretary or state directors. Good in the sense there is less meddling in officers' work. But, bad because it seems MB do not monitor the work of the government officers.
That was when one of the member of the group told us that the MB has no time to exert his leadership and more concern to safeguard his position. There was a tacit agreement by the government officer.
One of us familiar with Perak politics said, Peja is in a precarious position because PPBM won only 1 seat.
The result of GE 14 saw seats allocation in Perak as 29 PH, 27 BN and 3 PAS. PH was able to form a government with a 2 seat majority by the support given by Sungai Manik UMNO assemblyman, Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin and Tualang Sekah assemblywoman, Datuk Nolee Ashilin Muhamamd Radzi, who is Peja's sister-in-law.
Talk on the ground is that PAS was ready to form a pact but then MB, Dato Dr Zambery Kadir was reluctant and got the two assemblymen to support PH. The reason was fear of being investigated by MACC. Today, Zainol joined PPBM but Nolee remained the single independent assemblyman.
So Peja could be toppled within PH or by the current BN-PAS by any shift in seats. Before the current talk of UMNO-PAS pact to takeover, there was an attempt to do so from within PH.
The tabling of the Perak budget for 2019 at end of November 2018 would have been the opportunity to prove the "game changer" theory written at the end of April 2017 in the posting "PPBM's devious and dishonest politics."
Rumour have been circulating for a while then that there a plan hatched by DAP's Tebing Tinggi assemblyman, Dr Aziz Bari and Sungai Rapat's PAN assemblyman and former MB, Dato Seri Nizar Jamaluddin.
At first, Aziz Bari intend to be MB but for fear it could not get house numbers, Nizar suggested and agreed by Aziz for Manjoi's PAN assemblyman, Asmuni Alwi.
There were several plans to start the game. One was Peja's fake degree but he subsequently admitted he did not completed in a radio interview. Another plan was to expose a MPS project related to film making industry as the trouble issue.
It would eventually be the excuse to reject the budget as a proxy vote of no confidence that would lead to Peja's resignation.
MAPS was raised but it didn't become an issue.
The planned coup was leaked by BN Perak Chairman, Saarani and Nga Kor Meng admitted. PAN's Asmuni made a drama to defend PH against the accusation. Though DAP denied, Aziz Bari is being investigated by MACC.
In disgust, Perak Speaker and DAP Perak power broker, Ngeh Koo Ham reacted to reject Peja's motion to discuss ICERP. in which DAP is the hidden stone throwing hands behind Waythamoorthy and Saifuddin Abdullah.
Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki questioned whether Peja was in control of the state. Ngeh then turned around to say it was not rejected but withdrawn by MB himself.
Ngeh was frustrated to know of the game changer deal between UMNO Perak Leadership and PPBM Perak. He realised it is a futile attempt to try as DAP would be embarassed.
However, he told Aziz and Nga that the DAP fight is not for the long haul and they can look at the next GE for a Malay DAP to be future MB.
A source close to Aziz Bari claimed he too had given-up the fight. He found out that Peja had paid off to three of DAP assemblyman for support thus ensuring their support in the event of a motion of no confidence. Together with UMNO Perak support, Peja could comfortably survive the motion attempt with PAS abstain.
The government officer confirm hearing of timber concession awarded to DAP assemblymen.
It turns out the lhe latest talk of Perak fall was started by PPBM as warning to Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP. If he attempt to put forward a motion on no confidence in Parliament, PPBM can make few states fall away from PH.