PAS to stay with Pakatan but wants Azmin considered too for MB post
The Malay Mail Online – 7 hours agoRELATED CONTENT
- PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu. — Picture by Siow Feng Saw
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — PAS said today it remains committed to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) bloc but maintained its stand for two names to be nominated to the Selangor palace for consideration for the replacement of Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as mentri besar.
The two names are PKR president Datuk Wan Dr Azizah Wan Ismail and her deputy Azmin Ali.
“So there is no longer any question (of supporting) Khalid Ibrahim,” the Islamist party’s deputy president Mohammad Sabu told a press conference after its central committee discussed the matter here this morning.
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang was not present at the press conference.
“So there is no longer any question (of supporting) Khalid Ibrahim because he was sacked by PKR,” the Islamist party’s deputy president Mohamad Sabu told a press conference after its central committee discussed the matter here this morning.
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who chaired the central committee meeting, was not present at the press conference.
PAS vice president Datuk Mahfuz Omar who was also at the same news conference said today’s decision will be discussed further at the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) presidential meeting later this evening.
“There are two names and the PR council meeting can discuss this proposition,” he said.
Mohamad debunked the perception that PAS was misogynistic for having rejected Dr Wan Azizah’s nomination from her party for the Selangor government post previously.
“We have two names here. Her name is in there,” he said when asked about the matter.
Mohamad, however, said the four PAS representatives who remain state executive councillors will continue their duties under Khalid’s leadership.
He said this was to keep Selangor in the hands of the PR pact.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said today’s decision will provide the ruler with a choice for the mentri besar post.
“We have two names but if the Sultan decides on Wan Azizah then we will respect that.
“This is our latest stand, final decision,” Mustafa told the same news conference.
PAS’s unanimous decision today means Khalid is now alone in the Selangor government with only the support of 12 Umno assemblymen.
PR representatives make up two-thirds of the 56-seat state legislative assembly.
Khalid on Monday said the Selangor Sultan had consented to him remaining as mentri besar despite his sacking from PKR, after convincing the ruler that he still enjoyed the backing of most Selangor lawmakers.
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| Copy of Sultan of Selangor's Letter to Khalid |
But PR claimed Khalid was lying and that the Sultan has been informed of the latest development.
The power to resolve the impasse surrounding the Selangor mentri besar post now lies in the Sultan’s hand, according to law experts.
He is currently overseas and is due to return August 27.
