'Allegations Umno's bid to dampen Khalid's popularity'

Allegations and attempts in a bid to get Khalid Ibrahim dismissed as the state's chief executive are a way for Umno to downplay his rising popularity, the Selangor menteri besar's political secretary Faekah Husin says.

The moves are made to affect Khalid's popularity and credibility, which have overpassed the reputation of Umno and other Pakatan Rakyat leaders, Faekah said in a statement today.

"The blog (AntaraPos.com) was handled by the (state subsidiary) Communication Corporation Sdn Bhd (CCSB) former general manager, whose contract was terminated last June, and is being used for this purpose.

"From information we obtained, this web is backed by Umno and it is directed to defend Najib Abdul Razak, who is facing an open fight from his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin," Faekah said.

CCSB is the companythat runs Selangor TV and the monthly state bulletinSelangorkini.

Faekah was commenting on allegations made in the blog about several PKR assemblypersons and MPs wanting to give Khalid the boot.

She admitted that there were certain Pakatan Rakyat leaders uncomfortable with the way Khalid administered Selangor as he was a well-known corporate figure.

'The people want Selangor corruption-free'

"The group is small in number, but it appears to be vocal and using its members' positions in the party and society to undermine Khalid," she said.

Faekah said the people wanted a transparent administration that is responsible and free from corruption governing Selangor.

She also said she had heard of a memorandum being passed around to undermine Khalid's leadership.

As political secretary to Khalid, she said, it was incumbent upon her to defend the menteri besar from his detractors and enemies, and she described Khalid as a good, clean, transparent and committed leader.

Faekah said claims that the menteri besar was prioritising lesser known programmes were unfounded, as the Selangor government had spent RM500 million to revive the state economy and up to August this year, more than one million people had benefited from it.

Such assistance was given to the various state constitutencies to ensure the assemblypersons could directly be in contact with their voters.

In less than five years, Faekah added, Khalid had increased the state's reserves to RM1.1 billion and the Selangor Agriculture Development Corporation, which had not been profitable since it was formed, recorded a profit of RM11 million this year.