Razif keeps mum on rumours of 'Datuk Seri' title being revoked

NEW STRAITS TIMES

KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman has maintained his silence on the rumoured withdrawal of his title from the palace.

All Razif would say was "Thank you" when approached by journalists as he swiftly got into his official car and left the Primula Beach Hotel, shortly after the opening of the Wakaf Senusantara 2016 conference by Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Social media yesterday was besieged by reports which alleged that the Terengganu palace had withdrawn Razif's 'Datuk Seri' title.

The matter was compounded further today when for the second consecutive day, Razif was introduced at an official function minus his title.

He was simply introduced as 'Yang Amat Berhormat Menteri Besar Terengganu.'

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Major Gen Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, in his speech, also addressed Razif as 'YAB Menteri Besar' in the presence of Sultan Mizan.

The same scenario occurred yesterday, at two events which featured Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahidi. Razif was also referred to as 'Yang Amat Berhormat Menteri Besar Terengganu' minus his Datuk Seri title.

Razif was bestowed the Seri Setia Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin (SSMZ) that carries the 'Datuk Seri' title in conjunction with his majesty's 53rd birthday on April 24 last year.

The media was made to understand by state executive councillors and palace officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that Sultan Mizan has yet to release any statement on the matter.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (pix) has urged all parties to stay calm following talks that Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman has been revoked off all his honorary titles.

A local online news portal had, on April 23, reported that Ahmad Razif was in crisis with the state's palace less than a year after taking the office.

Quoting a source, the report said that Ahmad Razif had surrendered all his title on Friday evening after he was believed to have irked the palace when he was accompanying Sultan Terengganu for the Friday prayers.

"I am asking everyone to stay calm. We are not certain yet on the actual development (of the issue). But as the former state liaison chief, this is not something that we have not gone through before.

"What's important now is to ensure that whatever issues that can weaken the party, we try to reduce it," he told a press conference after launching the Program Latihan Khidmat Negara