Wan Azizah overqualified for Selangor MB post, says ex-MB
Although “overqualified” for the Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) post, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s candidacy must be dropped as she has not gained the state ruler’s favour, former menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib said today.
Muhammad, who served as Selangor MB from 1986 to 1997, said that the PKR president’s credentials surpassed that of his predecessors.
But he said the only way PR could resolve the protracted MB impasse was to nominate another candidate for the top post, as the Selangor Sultan had “signalled” he did not want Dr Wan Azizah to become the MB.
“Wan Azizah is one of the best candidates to become the Selangor MB. The MBs before me didn’t really have any qualifications. Wan Azizah is overqualified,” Muhammad, who joined PAS before the general election last year, told a forum titled “The hot seat of the Selangor MB" organised by Sinar Harian in Shah Alam.
“But when I see that the palace has given a signal – and I know this palace quite well – we don’t want the rakyat to keep complaining.
“I think they (PKR) should go back and nominate a candidate that is credible, like the person on my right, and the palace won’t reject it,” said Muhammad, referring to co-panellist Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Last Monday, the Selangor Sultan expressed his disappointment over PKR and DAP’s decision to nominate only Dr Wan Azizah for the MB post, in defiance of his decree that each party within PR submit more than two names.
According to a statement from the palace, the multiple nominees would allow the Sultan to look beyond the majority support of the state assembly, and evaluate the prospective MB based on their “skills, experience, integrity and capabilities”.
Both DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sought the Sultan’s forgiveness the following day, but added that they had acted according to convention and the fact that Dr Wan Azizah alone had the majority support of the assembly.
Commenting on this, Muhammad said that PR “must calm down”, and adhere to the Sultan’s wishes and nominate another candidate.
“We propose one candidate, if it’s accepted, thank God. If not, we have to suggest a new name. Whoever that candidate is, it depends. This matter has to go back to PR.”
However, law professor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, also a panellist at the forum disagreed, saying that PR had done nothing wrong in submitting only one name.
“What’s happening in Selangor now is that a normal process is being abused. Yes, the Sultan has discretion, but to what extent? The law states that the Sultan’s discretion only happens in a hung parliament.”
He said that if the constitution had been followed, the Selangor impasse would not have reached this stage now.
Muhammad said that the public cannot blame the Sultan for what was happening in Selangor now, nor could the state ruler be dragged into the crisis.
“(The crisis) was created by political parties, and the political party that is ruling Selangor is PR. If Umno were behind this, there would not have been a problem as they obey their leader. But in PR, all parties are equal.”
Muhammad added that the impasse was wasting the public’s time, as everyone in Selangor, from students to civil servants, were preoccupied with the crisis.
PKR Youth Chief Nik Nazmi agreed, saying he hoped the crisis would not be dragged on further as the people were getting sick of the situation.
“Selangor cannot go on autopilot... for me, there are many promises in our manifesto before the 13th general election that must be fulfilled,” he said.
However, he reiterated that while Dr Wan Azizah may be a “reluctant politician”, the public must acknowledge her abilities as a leader, and cited her track record as PKR president.
“So for me, to underestimate Kak Wan’s abilities is something that is not right,” he said, referring to Dr Wan Azizah by her popular moniker. – September 17, 2014.
