Azmin: I’m loyal to the Mentri Besar

(The Malaysian Insider) – PKR deputy president Azmin Ali said today that he has no intention of becoming the Selangor Mentri Besar, and pledged his loyalty to the Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

“Let it be put on record, today November 21, that I am loyal to our Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim),” Azmin said, in a reply to Taman Templer assemblyman Datuk Subahan Kamal in the state assembly here.

Subahan had asked earlier whether the Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman thought that he could do a better job as the Selangor MB.

In his speech, Azmin had claimed that the Minister of Agriculture Datuk Seri Minister Noh Omar was lobbying to become the next Selangor MB by flinging wild allegations about the Selangor Economic Development Corporation (PKNS).

Noh had last week accused Worldwide Holdings Berhad, a subsidiary of PKNS, of selling RM150 million-worth of shares to a non-bumiputera company.

In October, Azmin had told Sinar Harian that Khalid is likely to be made a Cabinet minister if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wins the general election, thus vacating the post.

This remark had sparked speculation as to whether Azmin was after the post, but the remark was dismissed by Pakatan leaders as Azmin’s personal view which had not been discussed with the leadership.

Sacked Selangor executive councillor Datuk Hasan Ali also had alleged in March that Azmin’s attacks on him were an attempt to topple the Selangor MB.

He said that it is widely “understood” that Azmin had been trying to oust Khalid, an allegation that the Gombak MP had strenuously denied.

Hasan said the Selangor PKR chief was trying to ‘kill two birds with one stone’: “It is likely true that the mentri besar is the first bird and Hasan Ali is the second.”