Bitterness over Azmin

There was not even a congratulatory message tweeted to Azmin from other top Pakatan leaders

(NST) – Newly-minted Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali has his work cut out for him, which include mending damaged ties and glueing back factions in the Pakatan coalition.

He will also have to contend with the fact that his appointment had apparently left a bitter aftertaste especially for the PKR and DAP leadership who wanted the post to be given to PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

From the look of things, Pakatan’s rift is not over with Azmin’s appointment as menteri besar, and DAP is not helping matters by labelling Pas’ four former state executive councillors as “traitors” to the Pakatan alliance for staying on in the exco and working with former menteri besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim despite the sacking of their colleagues at the height of the crisis.

Selangor Pas leaders retaliated against their DAP ally right after Azmin’s swearing-in ceremony by issuing a strongly worded message to refute those allegations.

Azmin, in his first press conference as menteri besar at Istana Alam Shah here yesterday, said bringing together the factions in Pakatan would be his biggest challenge as the state’s new chief executive.

Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony, Azmin said he wanted to ensure that he could consolidate all parties in the alliance and get them to participate in the state administration.

“That is the biggest challenge I have to face now.

“I want to ensure that we are able to consolidate and get everyone to participate in the state administration, and to strengthen the position of Pakatan in the future.”

The friction that had transpired over months of uncertainty regarding the state’s leadership has taken its toll on the unity in PKR and DAP.

Azmin, who brought his family to the palace for the occasion yesterday, took to social media to share his excitement over the appointment, with a number of postings on Instagram and Twitter.

However, his excitement does not seem to be shared by most of his comrades in PKR.

The party’s de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is the husband of Dr Wan Azizah, along with vice-president Rafizi Ramli, were eerily silent on Azmin’s appointment, despite being usually active on Twitter.

There was not even a congratulatory message tweeted to Azmin from other top Pakatan leaders, including DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and his party supremo father, Lim Kit Siang.

The cold treatment online towards Azmin from the Pakatan leaders may well signal an unfinished business, with regard to his appointment, in PKR and DAP, which are believed to be less than pleased with the Selangor palace’s choice of menteri besar.

Dr Wan Azizah, just hours after Azmin received confirmation of his appointment, described it as being against the state’s constitution, while the PKR central executive committee, in a statement, lamented that the Selangor palace had mistreated its president by choosing Azmin over Dr Wan Azizah for the post.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm among his party colleagues, Azmin, who officially starts work today, seems raring to get down to business.

He will have a preliminary briefing session with Selangor Secretary Datuk Mohammed Khusrin Munawi in the morning to assess the areas to be prioritised.

He will also review all state agreements, including the almost-concluded water restructuring deal with the Federal Government.

“I am not privy to the details. I will have a meeting with the relevant authorities and heads of department… and I will look at all agreements, including the water concession agreement,” he said when asked whether the water deal would continue.

He also dismissed rumours that a deputy menteri besar would be appointed and denied claims that he would be controlled by anyone, like how Dr Wan Azizah would have allegedly been controlled by Anwar had she been appointed as menteri besar.

The PKR deputy president was sworn in as the new Selangor menteri besar yesterday morning after weeks of intense speculation.

He received his instrument of appointment from Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and took his oath as the state’s 15th menteri besar at Istana Alam Shah at 10.40am.

The ceremony was witnessed by Shah Alam High Court judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.