With Mukhriz gone, millionaire drops plan to sponsor Kedah football team

Dherbs Holding (M) owner Datuk Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman said he has withdrawn his plans to sponsor the Kedah football team, citing the change in the state menteri besar position. The millionaire businessman, famous for his tagline "terlajak laris" (overwhelming sales), said he had changed his mind because Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir had been a key figure in discussions on the sponsorship deal when he was menteri besar. "I won't be sponsoring (the Kedah football team) because my discussions were with Mukhriz. So with him gone, I won't be sponsoring them," Aliff told The Malaysian Insider. He said he agreed to sponsor the state football team because Mukhriz had approached him first with the proposal. Aliff was among many cosmetic company owners eager to sponsor a state football team, following the footsteps of Datuk Seri Dr Hasmiza Othman, popular for her Qu Puteh products. He said he would now consider offers from three different football teams: Felda, Terengganu and Pahang. Under Mukhriz's stewardship, the Kedah football team, Helang Merah, managed to regain its former glory, emerging as champions of the Malaysia Premier League and clinching second place in the Malaysia Cup. Many have said Mukhriz's resignation as menteri besar on Wednesday was a blow to the state's football scene. Mukhriz had also stepped down as president of the Kedah Football Association, a position that comes with the menteri besar post. Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanifah was sworn in as the new menteri besar on Thursday. The change in the menteri besar post came after two weeks of political strife in the state, which began when Bashah held a press conference declaring loss of confidence in Mukhriz's leadership. – February 8, 2016.