Pas stands firm, backs state chief on Selcat issue
(NST) KLANG: Selangor Pas is ready to abandon the Pakatan Rakyat state government in support of its embattled chief, Datuk Dr Hasan Ali.
A pullout would leave the Pakatan coalition facing the possibility of a “hung” state assembly, in which the Pakatan now commands 36 seats against Umno’s 20.
A withdrawal would leave Pakatan with only the 28 votes of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (15 seats) and DAP (13), with Pas’ 8 hanging in the balance.
Its secretary, Mohd Khairuddin Othman, said Pas was ready to study a possible pullout in detail if that was what some of its elected representatives wanted.
Pakatan assemblymen told the New Straits Times on Wednesday that Hasan should leave the coalition if he could not work as a team member.
Khairuddin said Selangor Pas also supported Hasan’s contention that more discretion could have been applied in the proceedings of the Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat).
“Although court proceedings are open to the public, we insist that the hearing process be held behind closed doors to protect the integrity of government officers.”
The Selcat hearing was to investigate how Barisan Nasional assemblymen used up the RM500,000 annual allocation each within the first two months of last year before the general election.
Hasan argued that the manner in which the probe was conducted had embarrassed district officers who were called to testify. He said the officers also claimed that they were treated like schoolchildren.
He said the state should learn from the infamous Dr Khir Toyo broom award and not emulate it.
During his tenure, former menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had given a broom as an award to an under-performing district office.
Khairuddin said the broom award played a big role in the downfall of the Barisan Nasional government in Selangor.
"In that case, only one district officer was humiliated but what if all nine district officers feel humiliated now?"
He said the party felt that there should be room to criticise Selcat as the committee was only about 18 months old.
"It's not free from weaknesses and criticisms will only make it better and raise its integrity in the eyes of the public."
