Selangor MB will not be a woman, says report

(Malay Mail Online) – Even as the Selangor palace stayed silent on the identity of the new Mentri Besar to be sworn in on Tuesday, the New Straits Times reported that the job would not go to a woman, citing unnamed sources.

Even though PKR has been adamant with its choice, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah, rumours have been rife that the new chief executive post could go to PKR deputy president Azmin Ali or PAS Cempaka assemblyman Iskandar Abdul Samad.

“Choosing a mentri besar from PAS may cause uneasiness. Therefore, Azmin is the perfect compromise,” the source told NST.

Both however told NST that they were not informed of the palace’s decision.

Tuesday could mark the final chapter in the protracted mentri besar saga that threw Selangor into a leadership crisis and caused fissures that are now threatening to rend the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact apart.

The intrigue has pit Pakatan Rakyat allies against each other over their disagreements — first over the removal of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as well as over whom his replacement should be.

The senior PAS leadership has consistently stood apart from its PR allies in PKR’s intricate bid to replace Khalid with Dr Wan Azizah, leading to growing questions over its commitment to the pact and open calls for its exit.

The situation grew more intractable after PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang unilaterally named three nominees for the post in accordance with the Sultan of Selangor’s request; PKR and DAP were adamant in naming only Dr Wan Azizah.

It is unclear who were the three nominees submitted by PAS.

The Sultan said, however, that he will not limit his selection to the candidates nominated by the three parties, after PKR and DAP refused his request for at least three nominees for his consideration.