Change of MB needs Sultan’s accord and Pakatan endorsement
Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (pic) appeared to be fighting back today at attempts to remove him, by saying that a change of the state’s leader has to be endorsed by the Selangor Sultan and Pakatan Rakyat parties.
"An MB's appointment must have the consensus of all three parties (in Pakatan Rakyat). The MB candidate must be chosen and agreed upon by the parties.
"They must also inform the sultan and get his consent. There are a lot of procedures," he told reporters after attending the launching of a book on the maps of Malaya and Borneo in Kuala Lumpur today.
Khalid dismissed talk that Kajang assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh’s sudden resignation was part of a plan to remove him
“No such thing," he said, dismissing claims that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be contesting the Kajang seat in the imminent by-election, to replace him.
"There have been no discussions on this," he said, although adding that he “would not be surprised” if there was an attempted coup against him.
Khalid said any move to remove him must be done with a consensus of the three Pakatan parties – DAP, PAS and PKR.
"It can be done only if all three parties sit together to decide so. There must be a discussion, and right now there has been none as yet," he stressed.
Earlier today, the popular second term MB declared that he was still the state administrator and that he was "not going anywa,y" admidst speculation that he was quitting.
Abdul Khalid also said there had been no discussion with PKR supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the latter replacing him as menteri besar.
He said he had not received any word from the Selangor palace on any change to the menteri besar's post, stressing that the palace had to be informed of a critical change to the state's administration.
"I strongly deny these rumours and I hope that the media is more careful in its speculation. Do your research first. There is a process that has to be done first, if change is to take place.
"I have spoken to him (Anwar), but our discussions were on other matters. This (Abdul Khalid's resignation) did not crop up," the Selangor MB said, while distributing oranges in Klang today.
Abdul Khalid was refuting a report in The Star today that he would be resigning this Wednesday to make way for Anwar.
Quoting party sources, the report said a special by-election would be held in Selangor to enable Anwar, an MP from Penang, to contest for a seat in the state assembly, so that he can hold the post of menteri besar.
The report came on the heels of a vigorous effort by some people in PKR to remove Abdul Khalid, a popular figure in his state, as menteri besar.
Several PKR leaders are pushing to remove Abdul Khalid from the post after state party chief Azmin Ali was dropped from state developer PKNS's board of directors.
Khalid has denied any wrongdoing in that decision, saying it was done by the firm, not the state executive council which decides on appointments.
The second-term Abdul Khalid was the top choice for the post, although his PKR only won 14 state seats, while their Pakatan Rakyat (PR) allies DAP and PAS won 15 seats each in the 56-seat assembly.
Abdul Khalid stressed that there had not been any discussion between him and the Sultan of Selangor regarding his post as menteri besar.
"If I want to do anything, I must first get the advice from the Sultan. I cannot leave out that institution.
"There have been discussions on development in Selangor, but not on this (his resignation)."
He also brushed off moves from certain party members to remove him, saying that their demands were similar to the calls for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign.
"They can make demands, but you have to go through a process first," he said, referring to the need to get the consent of the Sultan of Selangor to replace the menteri besar. - January 27, 2014.
