Nik Aziz: What did MB Khalid do that was so wrong?
(Malay Mail Online) – PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat joined his party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang today in throwing his support behind beleaguered Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, questioning the need to replace the latter as the Selangor mentri besar.
In an apparent move to mend the cracks showing in PAS over Selangor’s leadership crisis, the well-respected party veteran issued a reminder to all members that Hadi is the “captain” of PAS and should be obeyed and not be made a victim of mutiny.
“I have read the president’s statement and I support his statement fully,” Nik Aziz said in a statement here.
“Just like many others in this country, I wonder what was the mistake and the error committed by Tan Sri Khalid for him to be dropped from the mentri besar post?”
The former Kelantan mentri besar reminded the public that Khalid was retained after his excellent leadership in the previous term, which saw an improvement in Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) performance in Selangor.
He also asked whether Khalid had ever slacked in his job, and whether it would be appropriate to replace him over his alleged mistakes and errors.
“I think these issues need to be solved first among Pakatan Rakyat, then we can talk about replacements,” he added.
Nik Aziz also expressed his confidence over Hadi’s remark supporting Khalid, claiming that the PAS president was fully aware of the situation before he decided to make such statement.
He said he too was similarly informed on the situation, but refused to divulge anything.
“It is enough for me to say, that for now, PAS members must put their utmost loyalty to what was said by the president,” stressed Nik Aziz.
“True, a captain might be wrong, but if every crew in the ship wants to be the captain, then the ship would not sail well.”
Nik Aziz also advised PR leaders to solve the problem carefully by prioritising internal discussions instead of public tiffs, in order to preserve the coalition’s longevity in national politics.
Some senior PAS leaders have made it clear that they want Khalid to remain as MB, and will not entertain PKR’s nominee Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to replace him in the position.
“I have heard all the arguments, and I find that majority of PAS grassroots are in agreement that Khalid Ibrahim should remain as mentri besar,” Hadi was quoted as saying in Terengganu on Friday.
But Hadi’s declaration preempts a joint announcement scheduled for Hari Raya when the PR presidential council will say whether it is agreeable to Dr Wan Azizah’s nomination.
The open dissent is set to pit PAS against its PR allies DAP and PKR, who are both reportedly in agreement to remove Khalid, even as ties among the three remain strained by the Islamist party’s ambitions for hudud, the Islamic penal code.
Hadi’s deputy, Mohamad Sabu, has taken a different stance from his party president, however, saying yesterday that Hadi’s views on Khalid were merely personal in nature.
