Signs of trouble in Selangor?

Cindi Loo, The Ant Daily

Pakatan Rakyat has been in power in Selangor for five years and yet nothing seems to have changed. It is as if the Barisan Nasional was still ruling the state.

So when PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim apparently criticised the state government for the slow pace of development, he was registering his unhappiness over the leadership of Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

The one sore point with Anwar and other critics is that Khalid is not planning to use the state’s excess funds of more than RM3 billion for development purposes.

However, Anwar was also quite diplomatic in his approach, saying that the fact that Selangor has excess funds showed the state government had practised good governance and was not riddled with power abuse and corruption.

“Excess funds is okay, but there are still poor people in the state; there are still youths who can’t afford to get into university, and there are people who need housing aid,” he reportedly said.

But shortly after Anwar’s veiled criticism, the Selangor Backbenchers’ Club jumped into the ring when it submitted a memorandum to Khalid on Oct 7, claiming that the state planned to slash development expenditure by RM100 million.

The memorandum was signed by representatives of all three Pakatan parties – Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San (DAP), Meru assemblyman Abdul Rani Osman (PAS) and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman Azmin Ali (PKR).

The trio urged Khalid to increase allocations for state development in the 2014 state budget.

“The failure of state government agencies to meet their budget performance targets should be scrutinised. However, the state government should not use it as an excuse to reduce development expenditure as it will burden the rakyat,” the memorandum stated.

Political observers have interpreted this sudden move by the Backbenchers’ Club as signs that something is wrong with the administration of the state.

Sources said Anwar’s criticism of the state’s lethargic performance came when Khalid showed no signs of developing Selangor further or turning it into another stellar state like Penang.

“Pakatan has been governing for a full five years and yet there are people who did not know there was a change in state administration, because everything looks and feels the same,” the source told theantdaily.

“In the rural areas, they think that Mohamad Khir Toyo is still the menteri besar, and not Khalid,” he said.

Critics have pointed out that Khalid is always not seen with the people, giving rise to the impression that the state lacks vibrancy.

“This is unlike Penang, where the changes and policies made are very obvious to the people,” the source said.

“Selangor should also show it can be as vibrant as Penang as it is one of the most developed states,” he said.

Then there is the old simmering feud between Khalid and Azmin, who has openly criticised Khalid’s leadership before.

However, the source insisted that the criticisms were not made to spite Khalid or assist Azmin politically.

“We’re very concerned about how the state is run now because we kept telling people we’re different from how Umno and BN ruled the state,” he said.

“If there is nothing in the state budget on new plans [for development], how are we to reach out to the remote and rural areas, where we should be targeting?” the source said.

Meanwhile, Khalid has said he was under no pressure from the Backbenchers’ Club, and will meet with the group to decide on the state’s spending.

He reportedly said the state budget has not been finalised and will only be tabled in the next sitting of the State Legislative Assembly on Nov 18.

“I admit there have been government decisions which are not 100 per cent right, but we accept the principles of transparency$ and correct them,” he said.