No truth to The Star report that Khalid refused to step down as MB, says PKR veep
Amin Iskandar, TMI
PKR vice-president Tian Chua (pic) has denied a report in an English daily that Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has refused to resign from his position.
Batu MP Tian Chua told The Malaysian Insider that there was no basis to The Star’s exclusive front-page report today that Khalid had refused to sign his letter of resignation.
“PKR and Pakatan Rakyat are now focused solely on winning the Kajang by-election. The question of who will be the Selangor menteri besar is immaterial.
“It is completely untrue. There is no issue about the resignation letter or the position of the Selangor menteri besar,” Tian Chua said.
The Star reported that Abdul Khalid had thrown a spanner in the works by refusing to sign a letter of resignation.
Abdul Khalid’s confidential resignation was supposed to be part of PKR’s grand plan to pave the way for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to lead Selangor.
The Star reported that Abdul Khalid’s resignation letter was dated March 23, the day when Kajang voters go to the polls for the state seat by-election.
“Abdul Khalid feels that he has been played out by Anwar,” The Star quoted state government sources as saying.
The resignation letter is based on the assumption that Anwar will win the Kajang by-election, join the Selangor legislative assembly and succeed Abdul Khalid as the menteri besar.
“Khalid has also been upset by statements made by PKR leaders after Anwar was named as the by-election candidate,” sources told The Star.
These included a remark by Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, the mastermind of the Kajang by-election, who said Anwar would do a better job in Selangor.
Rafizi had reportedly described Abdul Khalid as a technocrat who was not skilled or experienced enough to handle racial and religious issues.
