Selangor MB defends decision to keep PAS excos, says upholding 2013 GE mandate

(MMO) – Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali today defended his decision to keep PAS’ three state executive councillors despite growing calls to have them replaced following the demise of Pakatan Rakyat.

Azmin pointed out that Selangorians voted for the Islamist party in the 2013 general election, and as MB, he must respect the democratic process.

“I am here to defend the democratic process, democracy and the mandate given by rakyat in 2013. The people give us support and the biggest majority we had… the mandate was given for us to deliver,” he told reporters after his keynote speech at a freedom of information forum here.

“I have taken a very consistent position that I am here to defend that mandate. It is not about my choice or his choice, but it is the choice by the rakyat,” Azmin said, referring to the Malay word for people.

He said this in response to his Twitter post to Parti Amanah Negara’s (Amanah) Saari Sungib yesterday, in which he chided the Hulu Kelang assemblyman over remarks the latter had made at a forum.

Azmin had questioned whether he was ‘begging’ for the position as state executive councillor.

His tweet came after Saari reportedly claimed that Azmin was playing ‘palace politics’ to justify his decision to keep PAS representatives in the Selangor government.

Saari who was also at the same event later told Malay Mail Online that he believed the tweet was not written by Azmin.

“It is not him. When I read the tweet, my reaction is that this cannot be him. I cannot imagine him doing this,” the Hulu Klang assemblyman said.

When asked why he believed so, Saari refused to offer an explanation.