Is all the fuss about Khalid quitting a lot of bull?
Zubaidah Abu Bakar, The Rakyat Post
IT is understandable that the hullabaloo over Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s stepping down as Selangor Menteri Besar continues to make headlines in local media.
The media is pursuing the truth behind this hearsay and will not stop until all surrounding issues become crystal clear.
What really boggles the mind is the attitude of “watching from the sidelines” of Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s top couple, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on this prickly issue.
Anwar, the PKR’ de facto leader and Dr Wan Azizah, who is the party president, seemed to prefer to let the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis get blown up, dragging Pakatan Rakyat into what started as solely a Selangor PKR internal problem.
Unless, the Opposition leader, on his own or in collaboration with his wife, indeed has got something up his sleeves, in support of the anti-Khalid movement, the couple’s reluctance to address the issue is rather odd.
Observers outside PKR believe Anwar is throwing stones and hiding his hands.
Some people have become suspicious, especially with the latest talk about Dr Wan Azizah, the new Kajang assemblywoman, replacing Khalid.
It is common knowledge that Anwar is unhappy over Khalid’s handling of several state issues and he would have replaced Khalid if not for the failed Kajang Move.
Talk of Khalid’s nemesis and Selangor PKR chief Mohamed Azmin Ali taking over as the new Menteri Besar has not subsided as well.
Azmin is known to be Anwar’s blue-eyed boy and his currently being challenged by Khalid for the PKR deputy presidency.
The holy month of Ramadan apparently has not stopped those demanding for Khalid’s head to roll, because of his alleged actions and inactions in administering the state, to engage in dirty tactics.
The media, somehow, has been dragged into pressuring Khalid to relinquish his position in its hunt for confirmation of stories that are being fed to reporters by party insiders.
Still, it is very irresponsible of those behind the lies being spread.
The WhatsApp message and SMSes that began circulating on Sunday night, claiming that Khalid would be meeting the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, to submit a resignation letter yesterday had sent reporters to stake out at Istana Alam Shah in Shah Alam and Istana Mestika in Klang as well as the state secretariat building.
This was followed by another message, citing national news agency Bernama, as the source on Monday. The message stated that Khalid had tendered his resignation, which Bernama has since denied as being the originator.
But Khalid is unfazed over the rumours surrounding his position and had coolly asked people to immediately stop spreading them because they were not true.
As it is at this point, the anti-Khalid faction in Pakatan Rakyat does not have a real succession plan, including a consensus on who should be successor.
PKR, PAS and DAP have yet to officially deliberate on the issue of a new Selangor Menteri Besar.
There’s also been no agreement that Khalid should relinquish his post and the options on how it should be done, as the Menteri Besar is insistent that he should hold office until the current term ends.
Khalid is not keen to go for another term, but if he could get his way, will prefer to complete his second term as Menteri Besar.
At the frequency at which Khalid’s quit rumours are being raised over the last few weeks, people would not be surprised any more with more similar concocted news or if the rumours turn out to be true, after all.
Let’s see what comes out next since Khalid is expected to give his weekly briefing to the Sultan before the state executive council meeting tomorrow.
