Khalid to meet Sultan on Monday as ruler home early, sources say
(Malay Mail Online) – Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim will meet the Selangor Sultan on August 25 to discuss the latest developments surrounding his position as mentri besar, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Malay Mail Online understands that the state ruler is expected to return home tomorrow and has granted the Selangor MB an audience early Monday morning.
Khalid was previously scheduled to meet the Selangor Sultan on August 27, the original date of the ruler’s return, and is said to be weighing a dissolution of the state assembly to resolve the crisis over his position.
“From what I understand, His Highness the Sultan will meet MB on Monday morning at 9am,” a source privy to the matter told Malay Mail Online.
Another source, a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader, said that the coalition’s top leadership is “aware” of the planned meeting.
“PKR president confirmed (the) Monday meet,” said the leader, referring to Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is bidding to replace Khalid as state mentri besar.
When contacted, Selangor state secretary Datuk Khusrin Munawi said he did not know that Khalid will meet the Sultan on Monday.
“Sorry. I am not aware of this,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
Attempts by Malay Mail Online to contact Selangor palace officials for verification were unsuccessful.
A Palace official confirmed earlier this week that Khalid had requested to meet the Selangor Sultan overseas to explain the latest developments over the mentri besar issue.
Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, the Sultan’s private secretary, said last Monday in an official statement that the state Ruler has received his request for an audience, but the Selangor mentri besar must wait until the Sultan returns in the “next few days.”
The ongoing crisis now hinges on how the Sultan deals with recent developments.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has settled on Dr Wan Azizah as its sole candidate to replace incumbent Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid, bringing an end to the months-long bickering within the three-party pact.
The decision was reached by consensus last Sunday despite PAS’s proposal just hours earlier to add PKR deputy president Azmin Ali to the list, providing the Selangor palace an alternative choice.
The pact said it has demonstrated Khalid’s loss of the confidence of most of Selangor’s lawmakers, whom they said wanted Dr Wan Azizah in the post.
MB Khalid has said that he is aware of PAS’s latest position, and would seek an audience with the Sultan to explain matters and his position as state mentri besar.
