It is time for PKR to consider making some sacrifices to end MB crisis
The action of DAP and Keadilan in nominating only one name for the Selangor MB’s post, despite the Sultan order, has been deemed as an act of treason against the Sultan of Selangor’s decree.
Zubaidah Abu Bakar, The Rakyat Post
IT looks like Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s chances of becoming the 15th Selangor Menteri Besar has become slimmer.
The Kajang assemblyman not only has to “fight” with those whose names had been nominated along with hers, but also other assemblymen from her own party, PAS and DAP.
Wan Azizah’s bumpy road to the MB’s throne has taken another difficult turn when the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafudin Idris Shah decided to look beyond the nominees that was put forth to him in the search for a successor to Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, whose resignation as Menteri Besar the ruler has postponed until a replacement is found.
The selection process has started, so has speculation about who among those nominated will make the cut.
What possibly had sparked talk of a Menteri Besar from PAS was a report by a news portal that the Sultan was to have separate meetings with three PAS Selangor exco members currently assisting the partyless Abdul Khalid in administering the state.
The news portal said that Cempaka assemblyman Iskandar Abdul Samad, Sabak assemblyman Sallehen Muhyi and Sijangkang assemblyman Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi had been summoned for an audience with the Sultan today, tomorrow and Wednesday respectively.
By late afternoon, talk was abuzz that Iskandar was likely to be sworn in as the new Menteri Besar as early as Friday.
However, Iskandar has denied meeting the Sultan, but since news, whether true or false, travels fast, it has become a topic of discussion.
People following the Selangor MB crisis see nothing unusual in the Sultan meeting the three PAS state representatives since their names had been proposed for the MB’s post by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang in his first letter to the Selangor palace on Sept 2.
Hadi had, the following day, sent to the palace a second letter which retained Iskandar’s name with two nominees from PKR, said to be that of Ijok assemblyman Dr Idris Ahmad and Kota Anggerik assemblyman Yaakob Sapari.
If indeed these two PKR assemblymen had also been nominated, they, too, might be summoned for an audience since the Sultan wants the best candidate to be sworn in as the new Menteri Besar.
It is not known if other parties had also submitted other names from among the Pakatan Rakyat stable, besides those that had been mentioned.
Even if there was none, the Sultan, as the statement released by his private secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani stated, “will also look at other state assemblymen from Pakatan Rakyat who are qualified and to the Sultan of Selangor’s understanding hold majority support among the state assemblymen”.
The statement also records Sultan Sharafuddin’s disappointment with PKR and DAP for insisting on submitting only one name, that of Dr Wan Azizah, for consideration as Abdul Khalid’s replacement despite the ruler having requested late last month that they submit more than two names, as per convention “to give the Sultan the option to choose a Menteri Besar based not only on majority support in the state legislative assembly, but also by the candidate’s skills, experience, integrity and capabilities”.
The action of DAP and Keadilan is deemed as an insult to the Royal Institution and constitutes an act of treason against the Sultan of Selangor’s decree.
Now that the Selangor palace-Pakatan Rakyat cordial relation is strained, the onus is on Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to make amendments; he should take full responsibility of what had taken place since the Kajang Move was initiated to remove Abdul Khalid from office, which has led to the present MB crisis today.
Perhaps it is time to consider making some sacrifices to end the leadership crisis for the sake of the people who had put their trust in Pakatan Rakyat to administer their state.
