DAP should take the MB post
However, for this to work, DAP, PKR and PAS must give priority to the common interest of Pakatan Rakyat and not be selfish and fight over their share of seats. If PKR and PAS still insist on more seats than DAP, then Pakatan Rakyat will have to suffer the backlash.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor was originally due home on the 29th of August 2014. Then it was brought forward to the 27th and now to this Saturday the 23rd. Pakatan Rakyat, therefore, has only three days to resolve the Selangor Menteri Besar Crisis.
When I say resolve the Selangor Menteri Besar Crisis I do not mean force Khalid Ibrahim to resign. That is no longer an issue that needs resolving. The issue that needs resolving is who is going to take over if and when Khalid tenders his resignation to HRH the Sultan?
Many Pakatan Rakyat supporters do not seem to understand that Khalid cannot simply resign, as they are screaming for him to do so. The fact they are screaming for him to resign shows the extreme ignorance of these Pakatan Rakyat supporters.
Khalid needs to request an audience with HRH the Sultan and request HRH to accept his resignation. That is how it is done. Khalid does not just post a letter and walk away.
I suppose since most of these DAP and PKR supporters are Chinese and Indians, we have to forgive them for their ignorance. After all, they even try to teach Muslims how Islam is supposed to be practiced even though they have never attended a single Islamic studies class.
Khalid needs to obtain the consent of HRH even if he wants to resign. HRH can say yes or he can say no. This is up to HRH and not up to Khalid.
If Khalid still insists he wants to leave then he will have to either propose his successor or propose that the Selangor state assembly be dissolved. HRH can either say yes to one or the other, or say no to both.
Khalid can also request that a special sitting of the Selangor state assembly be called so that a vote of no confidence can be tabled in the assembly. HRH the Sultan can, again, either say yes or say no to this request.
The real problem here, as I said earlier, is not about Khalid but about his successor. And here, again, it is up to HRH to say yes or no to this successor. And it is up to Pakatan Rakyat to choose a successor that is agreeable to HRH. This is the job of Pakatan Rakyat.
Currently, there is turmoil behind the scenes because PKR wants all 43 Pakatan Rakyat state representatives to sign a Statutory Declaration saying that they support Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and only her, as the new Selangor Menteri Besar.
While Anwar can instruct the DAP and PKR state representatives to do that, PAS refuses to allow their state representatives to come under Anwar’s thumb. PAS still insists it should be two names and not just one.
If within three days this cannot be resolved, then HRH would most likely just dissolve the Selangor state assembly and allow for a new state election. And if that happens, PKR and PAS are going to see a drop in their seats while DAP would remain intact.
To ensure that Umno does not see its seats increase from 12 to, say, 15 or 16, DAP may have to take more seats this time around.
About half or 28 of the 56 seats can be said to be ‘Chinese’ seats. Hence DAP, which won 15 seats in May last year, should probably contest 25 seats and aim to win at least 18-20.
PKR can then contest 16 seats and PAS 15 because PKR and PAS might see a drop this time around, especially if the Chinese voters punish them for this MB debacle.
If DAP manages to grab 18-20 seats and PKR and PAS combined win the balance 20-22, then DAP can claim the Menteri Besar’s post and that will settle the conflict between PKR and PAS.
This time around DAP should field four or five Malay candidates, maybe people with titles such as Raja, Tengku, Tan Sri, Datuk Seri or whatever. There are many high-profile Malays DAP can choose from. And make sure they are Selangor born.
At the end of the day, Selangor will still be getting a Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar who just happens to be a DAP candidate. But at least we can finally see this crisis end rather than it go on and on with no conclusion in sight.
However, for this to work, DAP, PKR and PAS must give priority to the common interest of Pakatan Rakyat and not be selfish and fight over their share of seats. If PKR and PAS still insist on more seats than DAP, then Pakatan Rakyat will have to suffer the backlash.
Let us see whether PKR and PAS are more concerned about Pakatan Rakyat or about their own party interests.
