Hadi’s backing for Khalid risks Pakatan break-up, say insiders
(The Malaysian Insider) – PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s surprising endorsement of Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to remain as Selangor menteri besar has thrown Pakatan Rakyat (PR) into a spin, and could even risk a break-up, say insiders.
Some PAS leaders have expressed shock but there has been no official reaction from PKR and DAP over Hadi’s remarks but coalition insiders say it went against the PR leadership council decision on Wednesday to mull over PKR’s proposal that party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail take over the job.
“The question now is, who speaks for PAS? Is it the leadership that attended the PR leadership meeting or just Hadi? And is he repudiating the PR statement now?” a PR insider told The Malaysian Insider.
“It is up to PAS to resolve that issue now. As far as PR is concerned, we have all agreed to replace Khalid and the replacement comes from PKR,” he added.
Another PR leader also warned that Hadi’s decision to back Khalid could have far-reaching consequences for PR, including a break-up if the leadership council decision was not upheld.
“Anything can happen now, from the real threat of the pact breaking up or even snap polls.
“We are not prepared but we have no choice but to sketch out all scenarios,” he said, adding that they have to wait for PAS to make its final decision on Khalid, who has been facing criticism of not acting in the coalition’s interests.
The PAS leadership is due to meet on August 10 to discuss PKR’s proposal for Dr Wan Azizah to replace Khalid but Hadi remained adamant yesterday that the two-term menteri besar has done no wrong to deserve the sack.
“I have heard all the opinions, collected it all before I finally found that the PAS grassroots agree that Khalid remains because he has fulfilled the trust,” Hadi said in Terengganu yesterday, citing Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Samad’s remarks that the state chapter did not support the idea of replacing Khalid.
