Power shift in Pakatan
(NST) – Many have been suggesting that, over time, the new leader of Pakatan could well be Azmin as he gingerly steps out of the shadows of mentor and former boss, Anwar.
Top PKR and DAP leaders have not been campaigning in the Pengkalan Kubor by-election, citing distractions associated with the Selangor saga.
At the same time, the acrimony over Selangor has not subsided by the time Azmin Ali started work yesterday as the new menteri besar, replacing Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
The New Straits Times has learnt that at this juncture shocking realignments were unlikely but changes in style and personalities could well set in.
“The centre of gravity could possibly move away from (PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim,” said DAP member of parliament for Raub, Datuk Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz.
Many have been suggesting that, over time, the new leader of Pakatan could well be Azmin as he gingerly steps out of the shadows of mentor and former boss, Anwar.
Analysts said the power shift was a plausible evolution fuelled in part by Anwar being 68 against a youthful looking 50-year-old Azmin.
However, in the interim, the three Pakatan parties would have to manage the bitter compromise over the choice of Azmin as menteri besar (MB).
Tell-tale signs of a crisis that would not go away in a hurry have surfaced since Monday’s announcement on Azmin’s appointment as MB.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng yesterday said he stood by his earlier statement that four Pas assemblymen — Iskandar Abdul Samad, Sallehen Mukhyi, Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi and Dr Halimah Ali — were traitors for accepting the four executive councillor (exco) positions after six PKR and DAP exco members were sacked.
Yesterday, speaking in Pengkalan Kubor, Pas vice-president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said most PKR and DAP top leaders had not been campaigning there as they were busy with party meetings prior to Azmin’s appointment.
“Last night, we tried to call the top leaders of PKR and DAP, but they said they could not make it as they were busy with meetings that were related to Azmin’s appointment as MB.
“In these past two days, they have been busy with many meetings with fellow coalition leaders to discuss about the (Selangor) exco line-up and swearing-in ceremony.”
On nomination day on Sept 13, only PKR vice president Tian Chua and PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin were present, while DAP leaders were conspicuously missing.
The absence of senior Pas leaders was also apparent as they were holed up in Johor for the party’s annual muktamar(annual general assembly).
During the muktamar, party president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang had chastised party leaders and members who were too eager to satisfy the demands of Pakatan allies.
Hadi, who had objected to the removal of Khalid and nomination of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the new MB, had demanded for PKR and DAP to reciprocate the Islamist party’s loyalty to the Pakatan pact.
Hadi had also lambasted two Pas Selangor assemblymen — Saari Sungib and Hasnul Baharuddin — for joining their counterparts in PKR and DAP to sign a statutory declaration to support Dr Wan Azizah’s nomination.
