Mustafa hits back at PKR deputy president over Selangor MB remark
(The Star) – PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali has hit back at Azmin Ali, who has stirred controversy with his Selangor Mentri Besar remark, by calling the PKR deputy president as being “too ambitious”.
“I don’t have to make any comment but as an old man, I understand the feelings and ambitions of a young leader. Let him be,” he wrote via an SMS to Utusan Malaysia.
This is the second time in a week that Mustafa had locked horns with Azmin. The first was when he warned Azmin against making statements on matters that had never come up for discussion at the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council.
Azmin had earlier reacted to Mustafa’s warning by tweeting: “The age factor has made him confused and shoot his mouth.”
The Gombak MP had told a Malay daily that Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim might be made a Federal Minister if Pakatan won Putrajaya in the general election, implying that the state would have a new mentri besar.
His statement had come under fire from his own party members, with PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar describing it as “just an opinion” and Khalid’s aide Faekah Husin expressing her disappointment.
Meanwhile, Selangor Barisan Nasional coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed said he expected the infighting in Pakatan to continue, adding that Azmin was keen on displacing Khalid as Mentri Besar.
The infighting, he added, was an “open secret”, with many in PKR wanting Azmin to be Mentri Besar, although this move was objected to by DAP and PAS.
With Barisan’s strong revival in Selangor, Mohd Zin said there were those in PKR who felt that Khalid was politically not strong enough to defend the state.
Meanwhile, Selangor PKR deputy chief Zuraida Kamaruddin had criticised Faekah for describing Azmin’s statement as “not politically smart”.
“She should concentrate on improving the political relationship between the MB and party leaders and not cause instability by unnecessarily jumping the gun,” said Zuraida, claiming that Azmin had often voiced his support for Khalid’s leadership as MB.
