Several Malay right groups together with Umno and MCA demanded today that Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim resign as Mentri Besar following the row surrounding the appointment of the new Selangor state secretary.
The Selangor Coalition of NGOs against corruption (GAPs) – which included Perkasa as well as GPMS (Coalition of Malay students in Peninsular Malaysia) claimed today that Khalid had “betrayed” the Selangor Sultan by politicising the appointment of Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as state secretary.
The groups today also insisted that Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had executive powers to decide on the appointment of Selangor’s three top civil servants.
“The actions to politicise the appointment of the state secretary is a blatant disregard and challenge to the royal institution especially the Sultan of Selangor.
“Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim is a traitor to the Malay Sultans, a liar and one who weaves politics in the state administration. We in Selangor have lost faith in his ability to lead the state administration. We want him to resign immediately,” said GAPS chairman Hamidzun Khairuddin today.
Several right wing Malay groups accompanied by Selangor Umno and MCA staged a 300-strong protest today to hand over a memorandum to Khalid’s office at the state secretariat building here.
“Daulat Tuanku! Hidup Rakyat, tangkap Anwar, Hancur Khalid gagap!” (Long live the Sultan! Long live the people, arrest Anwar, destroy Khalid)” echoed the protestors as they marched to the state secretariat.
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who was also present accused Khalid of violating the state constitution.
“We need to understand why we are here. The appointment of the state’s top three civil servants is under the purview of the federal government – therefore the appointment is made by the Public Service Commission and not the state-level commission.
“We have to respect the royal institution, and have to follow the law,” said the Pasir Mas MP.
The Selangor palace has refuted Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s version of what transpired during his audience with the Sultan yesterday, in which the mentri besar said the state ruler had acknowledged he had no power over senior civil service appointments.
Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, who is private secretary to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has insisted that the Sultan held the executive power, and therefore had the right to decide on Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi’s appointment as the new Selangor state secretary.
Khalid however claimed today that Mohamad Munir’s views were “personal” and therefore did not reflect the Selangor Sultan’s stand on the matter.
The Selangor MB has announced that Selangor will hold an emergency sitting of the state legislative assembly to change the state constitution to return to the mentri besar and Sultan the power to appoint the state secretary, state finance officer and state legal adviser.
Khalid had said that the Sultan was of the view that he (the Sultan) had no power to accept or reject candidates recommended by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for executive posts.
“The MB has deceived, lied and manipulated the words of the Sultan of Selangor and this has been explained by His Highness’ private secretary yesterday. We will be lodging a police report on the matter,” added Hamidzun.
Also present today during the protest was Selangor MCA chief Dr Kow Cheong Wei. - Malaysian Insider
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