Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff said that Zambry’s allegation was aimed at deflecting public attention from his own problems.

“My comment is that is a reflection of a leader who has been harping on obsolete issues. For Zambry to bring out this issue as a reason for today reflects ill-political motives to tarnish the image of Pakatan Rakyat.

“For it is very irresponsible statement from a mentri besar. While he is struggling at the issue of legitimacy, he is trying to say that at one time he was to become a mentri besar with Pakatan Rakyat,” he told the Malaysian Insider.

The alleged offer came before Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin from PAS was chosen as the mentri besar of Perak.

The stunning revelation was made during the Pangkor assemblyman’s winding up speech on the debate of thanks on the royal address at the Perak State Assembly here this afternoon.

He did not reveal who the “number one leader” was and when asked whether he was referring to the party president (Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) or the adviser (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), Zambry merely said, “At the time, the leader was supposedly a very big leader”.

Indera Mahkota MP Azan Ismail was shocked that a state leader could make baseless accusations.

“It is all bogus, they have talked about this issue yesterday and I don’t think anyone has come out with the statement. More importantly, the rumor has been spreading around but nobody can confirm that. So I presume that it is all bogus.

“I don’t expect such statement will come from such a personality because he has to really to confirm the content before making it public,” said Azan.

Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid said that Zambry was trying to deflect his failure as Mentri Besar.

“It is hilarious. If he just want to talk for just rhetoric then let him because he has no support so he deflects his failure in administering Perak. Since when has Zambry told the truth? He has been lying from then till now. Let him prove and then we see. He’s talking like Zahrain, just talking rubbish endlessly,” said the Kuala Langat MP.

Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul questioned why the mentri besar was raising this issue now.

“Why now? What is the problem? He is an MB now. Why are telling this story now? Over two years now so are you trying to score points now because you already have problems at home? I think he should shut up and do his job,” he said.

When the BN government fell in Perak during in the March 2008 general election, the then newly formed Pakatan Rakyat coalition which is made up of DAP, PAS and PKR had submitted the names of three possible candidates to take on the post of mentri besar to the royal palace.

Nizar was later chosen to be the mentri besar of Perak.