A game which Pak Lah can never win

It is now 16 days since the general election. All states have had their menteri besar sworn in but for Terengganu.

The state, although won comfortably by BN with 24 out of 32 seats, seems to be embroiled in a crisis on the choice of the MB. The palace is clearly keen on Ahmad Said, PM Abdullah wants Idris Jusoh.

Constitution says palace has the right, political power says Abdullah has the mean.

However the latest seem to indicate that the palace is indeed winning. Even the 13 of the original 22 who backed Idris and Abdullah are now supporting Ahmad, it is reliably learnt.

Only Abdullah and Idris are steadfast in holding that it should be them who should rule Terengganu.

A win for the palace in the battle means a loss of face for the prime minister. Actually it is the second blow for him from the royalties.

Remember Perlis? The Raja there held on to appoint his own man despite Abdullah insisting that it should be Shahidan Kassim. In the end the Raja won, and had his man sworn in, sending Shahidan into oblivion and Abdullah into his own hole.

Now Terengganu sultan looks set to deliver the second blow. Even if Abdullah uses his political muscle to get Idris appointed despite all, he would still look bad for being a traitor to the sultan!

His new-found nemesis Tengku Razaleigh said this today:

“The Prime Minister's actions suggest stunning ineptness in managing fundamental relationships and straightforward functions of government.

This storm in Terengganu is just the latest in a series of crises brought on by an apparent failure to understand how state powers work relative to federal ones.”

Abdullah can never win this game. He can compromise though by giving in to the sultan’s choice.

What is stopping him? Lost of face? Or lost of business ventures (for cronies and family)?