DAP exco member: Selangor MB didn’t run solo show on water deal
(Malay Mail Online) – Another DAP leader has stepped forward to defend Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, disagreeing with claims that the Selangor mentri besar has been acting unilaterally on a number of key administrative matters.
Although his party has already openly declared its backing of Khalid’s early removal from his Selangor mentri besar seat, Datuk Teng Chang Khim said it was untrue that the leader had not consulted others when making important decisions.
“It is not a true picture. He (Khalid) didn’t make decisions on his own without going through the exco (state executive council),” the Selangor Local Government, Research and Development Committee chairman was quoted saying by the New Straits Times (NST) today.
Teng disagreed that the Selangor executive council was “kept in the dark” over a new water deal that was signed between the state government and the federal government last Friday.
“The notice to attend (the signing ceremony) may have been short but the matter has been discussed,” he said.
Teng acknowledged that the Selangor executive council did not go through the deal’s Heads of Agreement in detail, but said they were notified of changes and had given the nod on all the main terms of the agreement to restructure the state’s water industry.
Selangor PKR lawmaker, Haniza Talha, had cited an unnamed Selangor executive council member yesterday when saying that they were allegedly unaware of the contents of the water deal’s agreement and were only told of the signing ceremony on the same day
“I was told they were informed on the day itself to attend the signing. I am perplexed. Is this the decision of the state government or of one person, Khalid?” the Taman Medan assemblyman was quoted telling NST in a report, adding that Khalid had allegedly made decisions as Selangor Mentri Besar without seeking his executive council’s advice for many years.
Khalid has attracted criticism over his handling of state matters following the uproar over several proposed highways in Selangor and the unresolved bible seizure by state Islamic religious enforcers in January.
PKR’s central leadership recently nominated party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to replace Khalid, with ally DAP also agreeing to the removal of Khalid from the top post of the country’s wealthiest state.
But Khalid has since received support from PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and the Islamist party’s spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, and is refusing to leave his office mid-term.
Last week, DAP vice-chairman Dr Ariffin Omar stepped forward to defend Khalid, saying the latter should be allowed to complete his term.
Matters were exacerbated when PAS research centre operations director Dr Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki’s text messages were leaked to show that the party had discussed the possibility of exiting PR and joining forces with Umno to retain Khalid as Mentri Besar.
All three PR parties — PAS, DAP, PKR — are set to meet next Sunday to discuss the Selangor Mentri Besar issue.
