Khalid outplayed Anwar, says Kadir Jasin

(The Rakyat Post) – Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim outplayed Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim according to former New Straits Times (NST) editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin and his Kedai Kopi (Coffeeshop) Assembly (KKA).

Abdul Kadir blogged that among the KKA were a former minister, a “very important young political operator from the Prime Ministers Office” as well as several business people, corporate executives, journalists and bloggers.

“Abdul Khalid’s sacking from the PKR has, in effect, strengthened his position. He no longer has to listen to Anwar and has become the power unto himself, which he swiftly used to sack five Exco members from the PKR and DAP. He could not rule without sacking them.

“Abdul Khalid is safe until the state legislative assembly is due to begin a new session, unless the PKR or the Pakatan Rakyat can use legal means (including the court) to convene an emergency sitting,” wrote Abdul Kadir, later adding that the Menteri Besar could be booted because he had lost the support of the majority.

However, he wrote that Abdul Khalid could still form a new, if temporary, state government with PAS, Umno and an outsider taking on the role of the Speaker but not if PAS, on Aug 17, decided to side with PKR.

Abdul Kadir said PAS could accept a rumoured apology from Anwar and may accept the latter’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as Menteri Besar or insist on another Anwar-approved candidate from PKR.

“Anwar is said to have apologised to PAS President, (Datuk Seri) Abdul Hadi Awang, during their hotel meeting in Kuala Terengganu a few nights ago if he had done anything wrong to offend the Tuan Guru.

“Anwar left much of the talking at the KT meeting to PKR’s Secretary General, (Datuk) Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Abdul Hadi left the talking to the party’s Sec Gen (Datuk) Mustafa Ali,” claimed Abdul Kadir.

He surmised that there could be a degree of distrust and animosity between Abdul Hadi and Anwar after years of politically bumping heads.

He also said that PAS could feel obligated to Abdul Khalid, if claims that he had given them political funding for the 13th General Election were true, and that Abdul Hadi blamed Anwar for the Selangor crisis.

He then pointed out that PKR’s candidate to replace Abdul Khalid was Anwar’s wife.

“There is fear in PAS that Dr Wan Azizah will be nothing more than Anwar’s puppet.

“This was borne when Anwar wrote to the Selangor Palace to seek an appointment for Dr Wan Azizah to have an audience with the Sultan. Anwar withdrew the letter and Dr Wan Azizah wrote ‘her own’ letter to the Sultan.”

“The DAP has had enough of Abdul Khalid. (He) has proven to be a hard nut for the DAP to crack. DAP cherishes the idea of having a softer person as MB and Dr Wan Azizah fits the bill.”

However, he wrote that DAP could have been responsible for saving PR, claiming that Abdul Hadi and Mustafa had promised that PAS would stay in the coalition during a meeting with DAP leaders Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng.

“(Lim Guan Eng) insisted that the stand must be made known to Anwar, hence the Kuala Terengganu meeting between Abdul Hadi and Anwar.”

Regarding PKR Deputy President Mohamed Azmin Ali, Abdul Kadir simply stated that “he appeared to have been played out and forgotten”.

Abdul Kadir surmised that Anwar could be trying to position his wife as Selangor Menteri Besar to get him out of jail should he lose the upcoming Federal Court ruling on his sodomy case.

“Anwar needs money and power base if he wants the PKR to continue to be the matchmaker of the PR and to enhance the chances of the alliance winning the next GE.

“If PR wins, it can spring Anwar out of prison by seeking a royal pardon for him in the event that he is committed to prison,” he wrote.

He also added that a conspiracy-theorist KKA member had asked why Bank Islam wrote off RM70 million of Abdul Khalid’s loans after winning all the way to the Appeals Court.

“Has this got something to do with the various water-related deals the Selangor Government entered with the Federal Government in recent months? And what was the role of Ethos Consulting in all of these?” wrote Abdul Kadir in closing.