The Bukit Katil assemblyperson said he had not tendered his resignation after losing majority support but was informed yesterday evening that he was no longer chief minister.
“I met the governor yesterday. I was informed in that meeting that my services had been terminated as of 4pm yesterday on the orders from higher-ups,” he added.
Adly Zahari said he had proposed for the state assembly to be dissolved, but his request was rejected by Governor Mohd Khalil Yaakob.
The Malacca Pakatan Harapan government collapsed last week after Bersatu and its two assemblypersons quit the coalition.
They have banded together with BN to form a Perikatan Nasional state government.
Yesterday, two other assemblypersons, DAP’s Pengkalan Batu assemblyperson Norhizam Hassan Baktee and PKR’s Rembia assemblyperson Muhammad Jailani Khamis, also defected to support the new PN government.
Pakatan Harapan had just 11 seats in the 28-seat Melaka state assembly yesterday.
In light of the political developments, Adly said that Harapan Malacca will embark on a “Save Malacca” roadshow to explain to the people what happened and why they can’t continue governing the state.
He said the roadshow will focus on the four seats that went to Perikatan Nasional – Paya Rumput (Bersatu-Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen), Teluk Mas (Bersatu-Noor Effandi Ahma) and Pengkalan Batu and Rembia.
Meanwhile, Adly also rubbished Norhizam’s claim that the latter had become a barua (lackey) under the Harapan government.
“That is just an excuse to enable his actions…his act of leaving Harapan, betraying the people’s mandate, he will become the people’s enemy,” said the former chief minister.
Malacca DAP’s Damien Yeo said they are waiting for instructions from the central leadership to take action against Norhizam.
Likewise, Malacca PKR chief Halim Bachik said they will also be initiating disciplinary action against Jailani.
Meanwhile, Melaka DAP chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew said he was “heartbroken” when his trusted lieutenant announced support for their political foes.
He said he was the most upset person in the party because Norhizam had always been very supportive of DAP.
“We never treated him as an underdog as he is still our Melaka DAP deputy chairman,” he said on Tuesday (March 3).
Tey said Norhizam was with Melaka DAP until the last moment when the Melaka state government fell into a crisis on Monday (March 2).
“DAP doesn’t serve people based on race and Norhizam knows this.
“We have defended him all the way including on the Indonesian wild boar invasion issue,” he said.
Tey said Norhizam, who is also popularly known as “YB Hulk”, had betrayed his comrades and constituents.
“He shouldn’t do this to us,” he added.
Tey said he and Norhizam have not contacted each other.
“I will let my party leadership determine Norhizam’s fate,” he said.
When contacted, Norhizam said he expects to be sacked for being present at the Perikatan Nasional press conference at Ayer Keroh on Monday.
He also asked Adly to understand what had caused him to support Perikatan.
“From day one there was a communication breakdown between all of us and Adly had never backed me up during controversies, instead he was not keen to help me and I was labelled as ‘champion of wild boar shooting’ by my own administration,” he said.
Norhizam said he will explain to Tey on the reason why he had made the eleventh-hour decision to support rival lawmakers.
“Adly should have been vocal from day one to safeguard the state government,” he said, adding that another DAP lawmaker is also contemplating to cross over due to disillusionment with the Adly’s administration.