Testing times ahead for Azmin

Azman Ujang, The Sun Daily

DATUK Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s undoing has proven to be a blessing in disguise for Azmin Ali, who on Tuesday became Selangor’s new mentri besar in a dramatic fashion.

First, Anwar triggered a political crisis in the state with his plan to take over from Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as MB and when this failed, he went all out to install his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. And again it failed.

Azmin was never in Anwar’s radar for the MB post.

Dr Wan Azizah and Azmin are PKR president and deputy president respectively but it was Anwar who picked Khalid to lead the state government when Pakatan Rakyat toppled the Barisan Nasional in Selangor in 2008. And when Pakatan retained power with an even bigger majority last year, Anwar again decided on Khalid.

But out of the blue, the former deputy prime minister wanted Khalid’s job for himself via what’s known as the “Kajang move” with a by-election in March, for which PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli was credited by the media as the mastermind of the move.

Actually it was Anwar and not Rafizi for only Anwar could influence the incumbent Kajang state assemblyman to give up his seat after winning it only a year earlier. Everyone knows that in PKR, Anwar calls all the shots and his influence even spreads to the DAP.

One has hardly ever heard or read of DAP stalwarts Lim Kit Siang and his son Lim Guan Eng or even the late Karpal Singh being at odds with Anwar over any issue.

And when he was mobilising support for Dr Wan Azizah to be appointed the MB, it was the DAP which came with such a massive show of unconditional backing for the PKR president, even to the extent of showing disloyalty to the Sultan of Selangor who had wanted both PKR and DAP to submit at least three names for the ruler to choose from as Khalid’s successor.

Only PAS obeyed the sultan’s command and it was PAS which had Azmin besides Dr Wan Azizah in its list.

The haggling over the choice of the new MB threw Pakatan into turmoil with obvious signs of the coalition pact cracking up but what’s clear is that, unlike DAP, the Islamist party refuses to dance to Anwar’s every tune or bidding.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang openly snubbed Dr Wan Azizah by saying she’s unfit for the MB’s job and the party’s opposition to her appointment played a big part in Anwar’s failure to realise his Kajang move after his own desire to become MB was blocked by a Court of Appeal ruling that found him guilty on a charge of sodomy.

In the euphoria over Azmin now striking it real big by becoming the MB of the nation’s richest state that’s the ultimate dream of every Selangor politician, what’s also obvious is the waning influence of Anwar especially in getting things done his way in Selangor.

The damage done to the party from this fiasco of trying to wrest the MB seat and by the same token making it a family affair, could well be tremendous.

For an outspoken politician, it’s strange that Anwar had no comment to make over Azmin’s appointment, for the moment at least.

The sanctity of the saying “Man proposes, God disposes” has dawned on everyone, especially Anwar, after this episode.

As for Khalid, those who watched his interview on Astro Awani news channel hours after Azmin was announced as the new MB on Monday could gauge how genuinely relieved he was.

“My burden and responsibility have ended,” he told the interview.

And Khalid did not hide the real reason for forcing him out of office in such a crude manner, including by sacking him from the party when he refused to quit his post.

“It’s because PKR is still trapped in the old-style politics. This is actually the best time for anyone to join PKR to help change or reform the party. Of course you cannot expect to get a ‘red carpet’ treatment.

“As for me, I am a casualty of the effect of the personal desire of someone and his cronies and my upholding the people’s interest,” he said in the TV interview. Very well said.

He was asked about the RM3 billion in reserves accumulated during his time as MB as a result of his frugal and prudent spending, a stark departure from the usual practice in the country of awarding contracts and tenders especially to political cronies by people in power.

Just shortly after he was sworn-in as MB on Tuesday, Azmin lost no time in mentioning the state cash reserves, saying the money will be spent for the rakyat as it’s the rakyat’s money.

“The funds will be translated into various programmes,” said Azmin.

For an over-developed state like Selangor with first-class infrastructure from one end to the other, what is there to spend on? It is unlike states like Sabah and Sarawak where even basic amenities and infrastructure are still very much lacking.

It’s appropriate to remind “the man of the hour” Azmin to heed Khalid’s advice and ensure that the state’s reserves be spent “wisely and frugally”, and resisting the habit or temptations of overzealous spending that could lead to other problems.

Khalid also said in the interview that he had legally structured the state reserves in such a way that the money could only be spent with the consent of the state legislative assembly.

Now that he is MB, it’s perhaps the most opportune time for Azmin to at last come out of Anwar’s shadow and be a leader in his own right.

A daily described his journey to the MB’s post as more difficult than climbing Mount Everest. One of its columnists said, “His journey has begun and it will not be an easy one.”

I wish Azmin good luck and all the best.