PR’s demise unlikely to affect Azmin

(Bernama) – The demise of Pakatan Rakyat is unlikely to affect the position of Azmin Ali as Selangor Menteri Besar.

“He may only be removed by a motion of no confidence in the state assembly, and this is not probable,” said Prof Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmood, head of the Governance, Law and Public Administration Cluster, National Council of Professors.

“The DAP only said that Pakatan no longer existed. It did no say it would not support Azmin. And it is understood that PKR, of which Azmin is deputy president, is on good terms with both the DAP and PAS.”

Nik Ahmad Kamal said Azmin would probably be called to explain the situation to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Observers believe that Azmin would have little trouble convincing the Sultan that he still commanded majority support with or without Pakatan.

As they noted, Pakatan is not a registered coalition but a loose pact established in April 2008.

He was commenting on the DAP declaration that Pakatan Rakyat had ceased to exist after the PAS muktamar passed a resolution calling for the severing of ties with the DAP.

The resolution followed the DAP decision to cut ties with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang in reaction to PAS plans to go ahead with implementing ‘hudud’ in Kelantan.

Of the 56 seats in the Selangor State Assembly, the DAP holds 15, Pas 15, PKR 13 and Barisan Nasional 12. There is one Independent.

Prof Madya Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani, Dean of the School of Law, Universiti Utara Malaysia, said Azmin had to obtain a statutory declaration of support from several of the state assemblymen to secure his position.