Khir: There’s a power struggle between MB and Speaker
(The Star) PETALING JAYA: The latest spat over Selangor’s Committee for Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) shows that there is a power tussle between the Mentri Besar and state assembly Speaker, says Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.
The state Opposition leader said the Selangor Barisan Nasional would file a suit early next month to challenge the status of the committee and any state law which prohibited elected representatives from questioning Selcat.
“I don’t see the Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) doing anything. The Speaker (Teng Chang Khim) seems to have more power than the Mentri Besar,” he told mStar Online.
Dr Mohd Khir was referring to the district officer’s criticisms on the conduct of Selcat’s open inquiry.
Dr Mohd Khir, who is former Selangor Mentri Besar, said Selcat, of which Teng is chairman, was being used as a political instrument, and not to improve the state’s administration.
He claimed that senior government officials had met with Khalid and other state exco members but the Mentri Besar could not do anything to settle the issues. Dr Mohd Khir said he agreed that the two Barisan representatives in Selcat, formed last year by the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government, should resign from the committee.
Teng, however, refuted Dr Mohd Khir’s claims that there was a power struggle between him and Khalid.
“I am not in charge. I am merely the Speaker, that’s all,” he said, adding that Dr Mohd Khir was intentionally trying to create problems and shake up his relationship with Khalid.
“The formation of Selcat was Khalid’s idea and initiative in his capacity as Mentri Besar. It was not me who brought this idea to the state assembly hall,” he said. On the possibility that the two Barisan representatives would quit Selcat, Teng said he would not stop them if they did so.
“That is their right.” On Monday, one of the Barisan representatives, Ismail Sani, told mStar Online that he was considering resigning.
Selcat will meet again for five days from Oct 21.
