KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — Veteran newsman and media adviser to now former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, today dedicated a rhyme of sorts on how poetic justice has been served to Pakatan Harapan (PH) defectors, from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) mostly.

Kadir shared a Malaysiakini article which reported on rifts in Melaka after Perikatan Nasional (PN) took over, following the toppling of the PH state government, and sarcastically remarked how strategies can go awry when treachery comes into play.

"It seems that when they exited Pakatan Harapan (PH), Bersatu would become stronger. They sang that if we are divided, we fall, united we are strong.

"But their own friend stabs them in the back, and in the end, were robbed. Johor is lost, Melaka is lost, Selangor is lost. It is Umno and PH that won,” Kadir wrote in jest.

"This is a truly extraordinary joke. It’s not funny n it’s difficult to laugh,” Kadir wrote in jest.

Earlier today, state news agency Bernama reported that all 13 Barisan Nasional (BN) state assemblymen in Melaka had pulled out their coalition, from forming the state government with two Bersatu state assemblymen.

The report quoted Melaka Umno chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh as saying that the 13, who are all from Umno, would instead work with Rembia’s PKR assemblyman Muhammad Jailani and Pengkalan Batu assemblyman Norhizam Hassan Baktee, from DAP.

"I hereby confirm that 13 BN assemblymen together with assemblymen from Rembia and Pengkalan Batu will form a new pact supported by a sworn statutory declaration to be presented to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Melaka, Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob.

"Without jeopardising the cooperation and spirit of Perikatan Nasional at the federal level, the coalition of 13 BN with two Bersatu assemblymen, respectively ― Datuk Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen (Paya Rumput) and  Datuk Noor Effendi Ahmad (Telok Mas) ― is no longer in force, with immediate effect,” Ab Rauf was quoted as saying during a press conference in Melaka.

Ab Rauf reportedly stressed that the separation of the coalition only involved BN and Bersatu assemblymen at the state level, and was not connected to the pact at the federal level.

"We are in a state of uncertainty as to whether or not this cooperation will work without a discussion, understanding or meeting. It shows that we do not have a direction until we get a notice of the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Minister tomorrow,” Ab Rauf told reporters.

On Tuesday, Adly Zahari said he had been informed that he is officially no longer the chief minister of Melaka.

Adly posted this on Facebook, following the Melaka governor’s rejection of his request to dissolve the state assembly on Monday.

Adly met Mohd Khalil, when it became clear that the political realignment in Malaysia meant PH no longer commanded a majority in the state assembly.

He recommended that Mohd Khalil dissolve the assembly to make way for a fresh state election, but the latter rejected this, according to a statement from the state secretary after the meeting.

The statement said Adly was obliged to resign as he no longer enjoyed the support of the state’s lawmakers and a replacement would be named soon.

Following the federal political shake-up, PH had just 11 seats in the 28-seat Melaka state assembly yesterday.

The coalition’s position was weakened further after one PKR assemblyman and one DAP representative declared their support for Umno that has 13 seats in Melaka.