The Sultan of Kedah, Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, arrived at Bunga Raya Complex, Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, Kepala Batas, here at about 11.45 am.

His Majesty, who was accompanied by the Sultanah of Kedah, Sultanah Maliha Tengku Ariff, was welcomed upon arrival by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, state secretary Datuk Ammar Shaikh Mahmood Naim and mufti Datuk Fadzil Awang.

Sultan Sallehuddin was previously reported to be in Kuala Lumpur.

Following the current political developments in Kedah, it is understood that 23 state assemblymen from Perikatan Nasional (PN) will have an audience with Sultan Sallehuddin tomorrow.

However, no official statement has been issued by any party.

Yesterday, a news portal reported that 23 statutory declarations (SDs) from the Kedah assemblymen were presented to Sultan Sallehuddin proposing a new candidate for the menteri besar post.

According to the report, quoting PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, the SDs were handed over when the presidents of UMNO, PAS and Bersatu met Sultan Sallehuddin in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

On Tuesday, two assemblymen from PKR, Azman Nasrudin (Lunas) , as well as Robert Ling Kui Ee (Sidam) quit the party and expressed support for the PN government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

On the same day, Kedah Opposition chief Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor announced 19 out of 36 Kedah assemblymen had lost confidence in Mukhriz’s leadership.

-- BERNAMA