Khalid to forge on with amendments to Selangor constitution on state-secretary

Despite barely veiled threats from Umno and accusations of disloyalty to the Sultan, Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim is forging ahead with a state assembly sitting at the end of this month to amend the state constitution.

"It is a matter of principle. Khalid is the chief executive of the Selangor state. He believes a gross injustice has been done because his government was popularly elected by the people, but there are now blatant attempts to snub him by appointing a state secretary that he objects to," a close aide to the MB told Malaysia Chronicle.

"In fact, if you look at the massive turnout at the Melawati Stadium in Shah Alam last night, you will realize the support Khalid and the Pakatan command in Selangor and it is actually for this reason that Umno has to go all out to put in Khusrin so that he can help to topple the Pakatan administration."

Huge turnout a signal of Selangorians' support for Khalid

Indeed, more than 10,000 people crowded a PAS-organised rally on Sunday, giving Khalid and his administration a morale booster in the face an Umno-led onslaught against him.

However, the cheers that greeted his speech was an eye-opener and Umno would be wise to acknowledge the signal from the people of Selangor. Khalid had told the crowd that it was actually Umno that committed trason in 1993 when it transferred the right to appoint the state secretary from the Mentri Besar and the Sultan back to the federal government, which at that time was led by former premier Mahathir Mohamad.

Khalid also told reporters on Monday that his government has appointed International Islamic University lecturer Abdul Aziz Bari and lawyer Param Cumaraswamy to prepare the draft amendments to Section 52 of the state constitution. If passed, the resolution would invalidate the appointment of Najib's blue-eyed boy Khusrin Munawai as state secretary.

"It will be good if you wait until the sitting convenes," Khalid said.

He was responding to a bombardment of questions from the press on why he wanted to push for the sitting when the chances of having it over-turned was high. To have it passed, the Pakatan would need the vote of two-thirds of the state assembly's lawmakers.

However, the Pakatan government has only 35 seats in the 56-seat assembly, three short of the mandatory margin. The BN has 20 seats while the remaining is held by an independent assemblyman.

Asked whether the proposed amendment would be presented to the Sultan, Khalid said it would depend on the recommendations of the lawyers involved. He stressed that the amendment was to give powers to both the Sultan and Mentri Besar in the appointment of the state's top three civil servants - the state secretary, state financial officer and state legal advisor. - Malaysia Chronicle