2020 vote of no confidence in the Faizal Azumu ministry

Faizal later confirmed that he would not advise the sultan to dissolve the Perak State Legislative Assembly as the "current situation is not conducive for an election" due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

[4] The general election at the beginning of May 2018 resulted in the Alliance of Hope (PH) being voted into power at the vast majority of Peninsular Malaysia's west coast states, including Perak where Faizal was sworn-in as its chief minister.

This, in turn, caused the PH to lose its majority in multiple states which included Perak, where BERSATU joined hands with the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) to form a new government.

[27] Ahmad Faizal Azumu stated that he did not anticipate that the large majority of assemblymen from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a BN component party, would turn against him.

[29] Outside of the PN, BN, and PH coalitions, the Perak state legislative assembly consisted of two other assemblymen of which one is from the Malaysian People's Movement Party (GERAKAN) and the other an independent.

[52][53] Following increasing speculation that UMNO may look to cooperate with the PH in forming a new government, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man commented that his party was prepared to compromise with its earlier stand of avoiding involvement in moves to form a new government if it ensures that the PH will be prevented from returning to power in the state.

[54] Unconfirmed reports emerged in the afternoon of 6 December 2020 that UMNO ultimately decided on Saarani Mohammad as their preferred candidate to become the new chief minister.

[58] Speculation further increased following similar statements released by UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and DAP deputy secretary-general Nga Kor Ming indicating their respective parties' willingness to work with one another.

[66] After a PAS central committee meeting on 7 December, its Perak commissioner Razman Zakaria informed the press that he will be seeking an audience with the sultan sometime between 2:30 and 3:00 pm the following day.

[70][71] After a meeting between the presidents of UMNO, PAS and BERSATU at the Parliament of Malaysia on 9 December 2020, the parties' respective secretaries-general released a joint statement affirming their support for Saarani as the next chief minister.

[75] The secretary of BERSATU's Perak branch added that he also submitted SDs from Sivasubramaniam Athinarayanan (GERAKAN–Buntong) and Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong Choo Kiong, a PN–aligned independent.

At around 6:00 pm, the Comptroller of the Perak Royal Household, on behalf of the sultan, announced that His Majesty was satisfied that Saarani commanded the majority of the assembly and will therefore be sworn-in as new chief minister at 11:00 am 10 December 2020.