KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — Datuk Phahrolrazi Mohd Nawawi said today he refused to rejoin the Kedah executive council last week because Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak insisted on handing over a project worth “several million ringgit” to an Umno-linked firm.

“Yes, it was something to that effect,” the state PAS deputy chief told Malaysiakini when asked if he had refused the post because Azizan wanted to award a RM600 million road project to a company linked to a former Kedah Umno division leader.

The online news portal cited sources as saying that Phahrolrazi (picture) and fellow rebel PAS assemblyman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh rejected their reappointments after being pressured into endorsing the deal.

However, Phahrolrazi, who has since said he will accept the appointment after peace talks over the weekend, only said the disagreement was over a joint venture between the company and a GLC amounting to “several million ringgit.”

“I did not agree to it. We usually make collective decisions at the state exco meetings, but Azizan often wants to override them.

“We managed to stall it. I believe we can resolve this issue as we have not awarded the contract yet,” the website quoted him as saying.

PAS’s central leadership had ordered the duo to rejoin the state’s executive council, calling an end to the ongoing administrative impasse in the PAS-led government.

The party also decided that Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak, who is at the centre of the crisis, should proceed in his duties as Kedah mentri besar.

The decisions were reached after a five-hour meeting beween Azizan, Phahrolrazi and the PAS national leadership at the Kedah MB’s official residence in Seri Mentaloon, Alor Star on Saturday night.