Sultan: I’ve had enough of politicking
On allegations he overstepped his role in the appointment of Azmin, Sultan Sharafuddin said his role was clearly defined in the state constitution and it gave him absolute discretion to pick a mentri besar whom, in his opinion, could command the support of the majority.
WONG CHUN WAI, JOCELINE TAN, AND LOONG MENG YEE, THE STAR
Mentri Besar Azmin Ali and his team need to work extra hard to deliver to the rakyat and maintain the state’s leading position, said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
The Ruler said he had had enough of the politicking and wanted to see results from now on.
“I want Azmin to deliver for the rakyat,” said Sultan Sharafuddin in an interview with The Star in conjunction with his 69th birthday today.
“Plan properly for the long term, get the right people to implement the plans and leave a legacy of development that benefit the people and the next generation,” said Sultan Sharafuddin, who did not hide his disappointment over the mentri besar crisis in Selangor.
The Ruler reminded state leaders to avoid populist decisions or statements: “Don’t try to be a hero at the expense of the rakyat.”
Touching on the political roller coaster leading to Azmin’s appointment as mentri besar, Sultan Sharafuddin said the democratic process should not be abused.
His chief concern was that the months of uncertainty and fighting over the mentri besar’s post had affected the functioning of the state government.
Sultan Sharafuddin said the disruption to the state administration was “very, very selfish”.
He said he was shocked when he first heard of the Kajang Move, the PKR scheme to force a by-election and topple then Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.
His view is that the by-election was akin to betraying the people of Kajang, given that it was barely a year after the general election.
On allegations he overstepped his role in the appointment of Azmin, Sultan Sharafuddin said his role was clearly defined in the state constitution and it gave him absolute discretion to pick a mentri besar whom, in his opinion, could command the support of the majority.
“I could have chosen someone from PAS. But I was thinking of the long term, as well as the fact that there was an understanding that the Selangor MB would be from PKR.
“I was again shocked when PKR objected to Azmin. This rejection is very, very selfish. He is from the same party but they rejected (him) because of self-interest,” he said.
In his royal address during the swearing-in of the state executive council in September, the Sultan voiced his displeasure over PKR’s persistence in the agenda to remove Khalid even during the month of Ramadan.
In the interview, the Sultan also indicated that the move to rename several roads after past Malaysian Kings did not come from the Rulers.
He said that as far as he knew, it came from the Ministry of Federal Territories and that the ministry had withdrawn the proposal at the Conference of Rulers.
Touching on Malaysia Airlines’ double tragedies which involved several Selangorians, he said: “They are my subjects. These incidents saddened me deeply.”
On racial harmony, he said fiery comments and irresponsible acts which turned believers of one religion against another must stop because extremism and hatred would not be tolerated in Selangor.
“In life, we must not cross the line. I have told the Islamic Religious Department that we have to respect that line. For example, simply banning the Bible is wrong. And calls to burn the Bible are not right,” he said.
However, under state law, the Sultan said it was wrong for non-Muslims to use the word “Allah” in the Bible, as well as to print and distribute Bibles with the word “Allah” in Selangor.
