Selangor is all or nothing for Azmin

By admin-s On Nov 6, 2014

The new Menteri Besar stands to gain plenty from his post, but any slip up could be his downfall.

Scott Ng, FMT

The Deputy President of PKR has always been close to the throne as a confidant and long time believer in Anwar Ibrahim, but this is the first time he has assumed the reins of a state. And it’s not just any state, but the crown jewel of Malaysia.

Selangor is Malaysia’s richest state and well developed. Its large population is made up increasingly of the highly educated, sceptical, unafraid to demand their rights and, what is most important, unforgiving of officials who deny them those rights.

Azmin Ali must prove to be equal to the burden placed upon him, or his stewardship of Selangor may prove to be his downfall if he is seen to be less than his promises.

He has been making all the right noises in the news lately. He’s argued for the details of Selangor’s water deal to be made public, saying the people of Selangor have a right to know. He’s pledged to make Petaling Jaya the cleanest city in Malaysia and given out his handphone number to the public so they can alert him on dumped trash. He’s gone to the Sultan and state Islamic authorities to find a settlement of the issue of the Bible seizure in January.

Apart from a recent gaffe over the Sisters in Islam issue, Azmin is showing himself to be decisive and people oriented, and nothing less is required of someone who runs Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Azmin’s recent political history is somewhat spotty. Whispers that he wanted to take the Menteri Besar post in Selangor were loud during GE13, and netizens were fairly against the idea due to the positive perception of Khalid Ibrahim for with his excellent economic stewardship of Selangor, though a few chose to call it a stingy stewardship. It has been speculated that PKR’s disastrous Kajang Move was implemented to stop the infighting between Azmin and Khalid.

It is exactly that kind of politicking that Azmin must avoid should he wish for his reputation to rise in Selangor. The always connected public is quick to pick up whiffs of political rumours and hearsay, putting him under a spotlight much harsher than anything he has faced before.

Lost trust

Azmin must be the modern definition of what a Menteri Besar should be. Khalid Ibrahim gave the people of Selangor a taste of what an efficient government could be after so long under the thumb of Khir Toyo. But now that Khalid has gone rogue, Azmin must pick up the slack and work tirelessly, more than he ever has done before, to win the lost trust of the people. There are numerous issues that he must address with all immediacy, and success in handling these issues will provide the political reward of the people’s approval.

First, the Kidex highway. The people of Petaling Jaya are especially opposed to this project as it cuts through some of PJ’s iconic neighbourhoods and some of its most congested areas as well. With the figures Kidex itself has produced showing what is in our opinion a marginal improvement years after the highway is built, there seems to be very little ground on which this project can stand.

The people have made their position and unhappiness exceedingly clear on this matter. Exco member Teng Chang Khim is already feeling the pressure from the Say No To Kidex movement for standing with Khalid on the issue despite the promises made in Pakatan’s election manifesto, which outlines the elimination of road tolls and the prohibition of new highway projects.

The problem of congestion in Petaling Jaya is indeed an issue as its closest neighbours are also subject to heavy traffic, which bleeds over into the once quiet city. Add to that substantial increases in new development projects, and the irrevocable truth comes out that Petaling Jaya’s current road system is not equipped to handle the traffic that has built up over the years. A highway is an option, but first other alternatives to ease congestion must be explored before committing to the idea.