Who is Khalid Ibrahim batting for?

Lucius Goon, The Malaysian Insider

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has to figure out if he is a Pakatan Rakyat leader or is he the Selangor Sultan’s spokesman.

He cannot have it both ways.

If I remember correctly, he was elected on a PKR ticket and PKR is part of Pakatan Rakyat and the Pakatan Rakyat leadership announced that non-Muslims had a right to use the word “Allah”. So like any loyal Pakatan politician, you would expect Khalid to accept the coalition’s position.

Instead, you have him regurgitating the rubbish story about how the religious enactment of the state prevents others from using Allah in an undignified manner. That by the way is the position of the Umno-friendly Majlis Agama Islam Selangor.

The point is the Selangor Sultan is the head of Islam in the state but he has no say over the matters pertaining to Christianity or Sikhism. Matters on religious freedom are enshrined in the Federal Constitution, and not to be decided in Selangor.

Incidentally, the High Court has interpreted the constitution and allowed the Catholic Church to use the word “Allah”. The government has appealed the decision but until the appeal court overturns it, the decision of the High Court stands.

So Khalid, here is a reminder: you can’t have it both ways. You can’t ride on the coat tails of Pakatan Rakyat when it suits you and decide not to accept the consensus of the coalition when it doesn’t.

If Malaysians wanted feeble politicians, they would have kept Umno in power.