‘Mutiny in Selangor and PKR’
Hana Nazharun, NST
PRESSURE is mounting for Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to step down as state leader as analysts say he is no longer the Pakatan face of Selangor.
Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said internal bickering within the party made it worse for Khalid, whose leadership of Selangor had been put under the spotlight.
Khoo said this reflected the performance of the party, citing troubled party polls that was now in its second month without a conclusion in sight.
“Mutiny is happening in Selangor and PKR. Khalid is now seen as a rogue MB — someone who defies party orders and tries to hold on to his position.
“Khalid even lost his Kuala Selangor branch chief post. This clearly reflects the view that party members have of him.”
The menteri besar has come under heavy criticism numerous times, including over controversial seizure of Bibles from the Bible Society of Malaysia, disputed Kidex Highway and water concessionaires’ takeover issue.
It was recently reported that Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua had hit out at Khalid, saying he should take Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to task for failing the people.
“Perhaps, instead of arranging a lesson for me on ‘what the state has done’ and ‘why Syabas is to blame’, it might be more important for the menteri besar and state officials to visit families queuing up with pails to draw water from supply tanks,” Pua said in a statement.
When asked who Khoo thought would be Khalid’s replacement, he surmised PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as being next in line.
“I don’t think PKR would have any qualms about Dr Wan Azizah becoming the next menteri besar.”
Another political analyst, Datuk Mohd Nakhaie Ahmad, said PKR members would fall into deeper crisis should they continue to have disagreements.
“They (the PKR leadership) do not realise that many are unhappy with how Khalid was leading the state and this creates deeper cracks in the party.
“This will be reflected in public support for the party and, in turn, PKR will need to rely heavily on its allies, DAP and Pas, to stay afloat.”
