Khalid Ibrahim in political peril?
‘Anyway, whatever it may be, Khalid is not PKR’s Menteri Besar. He is not even Pakatan Rakyat’s Menteri Besar. He is His Highness the Sultan’s Menteri Besar, and which would make him my Menteri Besar as well. So you had better not forget that and try to mess with Khalid.’
Ktemoc Konsiders
The latest row was over Azmin’s seat on the board of directors for state property developer Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) or Selangor State Development Corporation.
While Anwar has been patiently papering over cracks between both men, his views on these issues have conflicted with Khalid’s and the state government’s, leading to speculation of a strain in the ties between him and the menteri besar.
Based on my reading of the news media, I reckon TMI’s report has been correct that Anwar Ibrahim’s views on this issue have conflicted with Khalid Ibrahim’s stand.
The explanation is simple: Anwar is 101% pro Azmin, Khalid is 101% anti Azmi, wakakaka.
Not that we have been surprised by Anwar openly stating (as reported in the news media) he wanted Azmin Ali reinstated as a board member of PKNS, but he did so without the announcement being made JOINTLY with the Selangor MB, the bloke who had earlier shown a blasé attitude if not his overt glee regarding Azmin being dropped from the state appointment.
To summarize, Khalid was NOT unhappy about Azmin being removed from PKNS Board of Directors, but Anwar Ibrahim WAS unhappy.
Would I be repeating myself if I were to say, why should we be surprised, wakakaka!
There are many ramifications on Anwar’s action to reinstate Azmin on the PKNS Board.
First, let’s examine public perception of the PKR see-sawing by Anwar and Khalid.
The perception or impression that the public has likely obtained from Anwar’s (if I may call it) unilateral announcement about reinstating Azmin to the PKNS Board would be that Khalid, the MB of Selangor, has been overruled kau kau. The rug was crudely, brutally and callously (without consideration for his been-chooi or face) pulled away from under his menteri besar’s feet …..
….. by a mere state economic adviser – remember, Anwar is not even the president of PKR, nor does the rule of Selangor, to wit, the MB position belong to PKR by itself!
The second message the public obtained is of the following:
(a) Anwar favours and takes the side of Azmin Ali over that of Khalid’s, as might be assumed from Anwar’s unilateral announcement that Azmin was to be reinstated as a board member of PKNS. Of course Anwar came up with a reason, that the process not to renew Azmin’s contract had not been according to proper procedures, and therefore that decision should be withdrawn.
It has to be said that Khalid made a mistake in giving Azmin (and thus Anwar) grounds to challenge the earlier decision, because of Khalid’s known reluctance to personally confront, challenge or take MB’s responsibility for unpleasant actions (don’t believe me, ask Eli Wong, Tony Pua or Gobind Deo Singh lah, wakakaka).
In dropping Azmin from the PKNS Board. Khalid claimed it was the general manager of PKNS who made that decision, and this was the gnam gnam procedural mistake Azmin was looking for.
(b) Anwar has effectively given a public slap on Khalid’s wrist by overruling the Selangor menteri besar’s earlier statement.Alamak, boe been liao lah!
(c) Notwithstanding Anwar pointing out that Azmin PKNS directorship was terminated without due process, by publicly humiliating Khalid, he has shown that in PKR there are sacred cows who must never be offended or disadvantaged, even if it means the MB of Selangor has had to have his wrist slapped, even publicly.
(d) far worse than above, according to an unnamed PKR source, Anwar has effectively withdrawn his support for Khalid Ibrahim and will be seeking to have him removed as MB Selangor.
TMI reported but couldn’t confirm what Anwar had apparently told the party’s supreme council, according to a party source (wakakaka, I’m always wary of unnamed PKR source which usually turned out to be a self-serving someone I might possibly know):
“I am not in a position to defend the MB anymore. There is no discussion, no consideration, he thinks it is his state, he is in control.”
“No one knows his stand, he does not refer to anyone, no one knows … So we have a problem.”
“There is no discussions on the water issue. I do not know (about it), I have to read the papers (to keep track of developments).”
“The Allah issue also, I do not know anything about it until today. Nothing!”
The claws were really out during the supreme council meet because TMI also reported that some party leaders (wakakaka) wanted to remove Khalid from his MB position, and of course (wakakaka again) for someone else to take over if Khalid could no longer manage Selangor according to the party’s ‘reformist’ principles.
Wakakaka, I’m not surprised by the last part about someone taking over as MB, but I have to say that whoever talked about the party’s ‘reformist’ principles has to be a self-deceiving joker, wakakaka.
