PKR nixes Azmin camp’s proposal to sack Khalid as Selangor MB
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim nearly lost his job two nights ago as Selangor menteri besar over the state’s failure to reappoint PKR deputy president Azmin Ali to the PKNS board.
(TMI) – Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim nearly lost his job two nights ago but PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim rejected the proposal from party deputy president Azmin Ali and his supporters angry over the latter’s removal from the board of state developer PKNS.
The Malaysian Insider understands the proposal was hotly debated at the central leadership council meeting on Wednesday night.
Khalid is not a member of the party’s decision-making council chaired by Anwar.
“I didn’t attend the meeting last night because of other matters but I was told of the matter,” Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong told The Malaysian Insider.
Another central leadership council member confirmed that Azmin proposed that PKR fire Khalid as menteri besar but Anwar rejected it.
“The proposal was hotly debated during the meeting but Anwar ultimately rejected the idea of dismissing Khalid,” he said.
Khalid’s press secretary Arfa-eza Aziz told The Malaysian Insider that they had also heard about the proposal forwarded at the meeting.
Khalid is serving his second term as menteri besar although PKR only holds 14 state seats while its partners, DAP and PAS, hold 15 seats each in the 56-seat assembly after the 2013 general election.
But the popular Khalid holds no party posts while Azmin is Selangor PKR chief. Both are seen as Anwar’s confidantes but are also political rivals in the party, which is due to hold elections soon.
Azmin has been in the headlines recently after being relieved of his position on the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) board recently.
Sources said Azmin’s dissatisfaction at being removed from the PKNS board was the main reason he suggested that Khalid be sacked as the Selangor MB.
Anwar ticked off the state government yesterday for removing Azmin from the PKNS board, saying the party deputy president was meant to serve there until 2015.
However, Khalid has clarified that neither he nor the state executive council had ever decided to remove Azmin.
“The decision was made by the PKNS general manager Othman Omar,” Khalid said.
Anwar has disputed Khalid’s statement, saying Azmin’s removal was invalid as only Khalid and the state exco had the authority to remove PKNS board members.
