Azmin still in running for Selangor MB spot?

By admin-s Last updated Aug 19, 2014

(MMO) – Pakatan Rakyat (PR) may have settled on PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the Selangor mentri besar post for now, but her deputy and PAS’s pick Azmin Ali could still play an important role in the on-going state crisis.

Malay Mail Online understands that the PR leadership will submit a fresh request to meet the Selangor Sultan to explain the latest developments, after PAS relented to support the PKR president as the sole nominee for the MB post when Azmin said would abide by his party’s decision.

But a PR leader said that Azmin’s endorsement of Dr Wan Azizah to replace the beleaguered Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as MB did not mean he was ruling himself out of contention altogether.

“If you look at Azmin’s statement yesterday, he did not specifically say that he rejected PAS’s nomination.

“He is bound to accept Dr Wan Azizah’s nomination as he was one of the 30 state assemblymen who had signed a statutory declaration in support of her as the new Selangor MB,” a PR leader told Malay Mail Online.

Hours after PAS proposed Azmin as an alternative nominee for the MB’s post in its delayed meeting on the crisis, PR sent out a statement saying that the Ampang MP will adhere to PKR’s decision to nominate only Dr Wan Azizah for the Selangor MB’s post.

The PR official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said it was now up to the state Ruler to decide on Dr Wan Azizah’s nomination once he returns from his overseas trip on August 27.

Malay Mail Online understands, however, that PR is already preparing a “contingency plan” in the event that the Sultan insists on other names to be presented along with the Kajang state lawmaker’s, although details on the fallback are still sketchy.

“I think the important thing is that Pakatan is now united with Wan Azizah as MB. PAS has also made it clear who they want as an alternative.

“If there is a need for a second option, PKR would have to decide quickly because PAS already did so yesterday (Sunday),” the source added.