LONG, dragging, never-ending, and tiresome. That’s how a lot of people, especially Selangorians, feel about the circus surrounding the Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) position. And yes, many of those people include the supporters of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) too.
Yesterday, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah postponed the resignation request of current MB, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. The Sultan also requested that PR provide more than two names for the MB post. “His Highness the Sultan of Selangor has decreed for leaders of PAS, PKR and DAP to suggest more than two names from parties in Pakatan Rakyat as mentri besar candidates,” said the Sultan’s private secretary Datuk Muhamad Munir Bani. “This is to facilitate His Highness in choosing a qualified mentri besar and subsequently giving assent to elect any candidate deemed suitable.”
In an act of defiance, PKR and DAP said they would still submit only name, Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as their candidate. So far, it is still unclear what PAS, the other remaining party in PR, plans to do with their candidacy.
Marriage of Inconvenience
Is has long been common knowledge that the pact between the three parties in PR is a marriage of inconvenience. Even if the PR would never admit to it, they knew it was true. Now with PAS refusing to commit themselves in supporting Wan Azizah as they sole candidate, the cracks are placed in the glaring spotlight for public display.
One by one of PKR and DAP leaders are coming out to blame PAS and accuse them of lacking team spirit. DAP’s National Publicity Secretary, Tony Pua for one seems to be one of them. “Kalau Presiden parti "rakan seperjuangan" pun tak mampu sokong... (If even the President of a party ‘ally’ cannot support…)” he wrote on his Facebook page earlier this week in response to PAS’ failure to sign support papers for Wan Azizah. Status updates like those on social media have almost been a daily feature for Pua, who is also the MP for PJ Utara.
But if PAS is being accused of lacking team spirit, couldn’t the same be said of DAP and especially PKR? When PKR, yes PKR, initiated the ‘Kajang Move’, they didn’t inform PAS and DAP before they did it. They just expected (some say ‘insisted’) that their allies accepted their decision. In the current MB fracas, despite PAS setting a date (which was later twice postponed) to discuss the issue, PKR sacked Khalid before that meeting ever took place. Why couldn’t they sack Khalid AFTER Pas held its meeting? Doesn’t that show that PKR just expects (insists) that PAS accept whatever decision they make? Who is the one not being a team player now?
It seems that it is PKR and not PR who are calling the shots. PKR insist that the MB post is their sole prerogative and don’t want to discuss it with other members of PR. They are insisting that PAS and DAP follow whatever they decide without question. The irony is they keep telling Khalid that the people of Selangor voted PR into power, not any single individual. What they fail to realise is PR is not PKR.
During the Kajang Move, PKR leaders constantly said they did the move to safeguard Selangor’s future. They even acknowledged Khalid’s business acumen, but explained that he lacked the political savviness especially when dealing with Umno’s attack. That is why they brought in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (the original Kajang Move candidate) into the fray.
If this was the case, why have they nominated Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah as their sole candidate? Is she really that political savvy? Earlier this month, Azizah even said that she does not mind being called a ‘puppet’ if the move to install her as the Selangor Menteri Besar is successful. “As the Selangor MB post was always for Anwar in the first place, I would not hesitate to call on him as my consultant and advisor when I become the MB,” she was reported as saying. Statements like these don’t sound political savvy by any stretch of the imagination.
Despite PAS having no obligation to do so, they have supported PKR’s claim to have someone from their party to become MB. They just want other alternative names. Why are PKR so adamant that Azizah be the sole candidate, even after the Sultan has asked for more than two candidates? Are they saying she is the only capable person in the entire party?
Frankly speaking, the people of Selangor, whether they are PR supporters, BN supporters, or fence sitters, they are all tired of this never ending MB conflict. If a the MB position is causing all sorts of trouble now, imagine if PR actually were vying Prime Minister post.
Earlier this year, Malaysian Digest came out with an article about ‘The Curse Of The Selangor MB’. In 1976, the MB at the time, Dato’ Seri Harun Idris was sentenced to six years in prison. In 1997, Tan Sri Muhammad Haji Muhammad Taib was forced to resign after being charged over currency irregularities. His successor as MB, Tan Sri Abu Hassan Omar was also forced to step down, due to an alleged sex scandal. The next MB, Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo, suffered an embarrassing defeat during the 2008 General Elections where the Selangor Government changed hands. (read that article here).
Now it seems in 2014, it the turn of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to resign in shame. But it looks like his successor, whoever he/she will be, is already facing problems even before the tenure begins. It seems we were right, the Selangor MB post is indeed cursed!
MD
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