The three-party opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat is heading for a break-up after Hari Raya Aidilfitri because of PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's support for embattled Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, which goes against the stand of the pact's leadership council, a PAS insider said.
The party leader, who had attended last Wednesday's meeting which agreed to the removal of Khalid, said PAS's meeting on August 10 was expected to be a fiery affair, and would see a clash between supporters of the two-term MB and those who respect PKR’s decision to replace him.
"Looks like Pakatan might split up after Hari Raya. I see strong signs pointing towards that. Hadi has gone against the decision reached at both PAS’s and the Pakatan presidential council meeting which he did not attend," said the leader who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"How do you expect us not be upset with this latest development? We attended the Pakatan meeting after PAS made its decision the previous night," said the source, referring to PAS's consensus that Khalid should go although it had yet to agree on the replacement candidate.
PKR had endorsed its president and Kajang assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the next MB but questions remained over her suitability and experience, especially from PAS.
According to the PAS leader, those who supported the move for a new MB helming the country's richest state were from the professional faction while Khalid’s supporters were conservatives from the Ulama and Youth wings.
The leader added that the conservatives had never favoured the Islamist party's alliance with Pakatan and would grab the opportunity to support Hadi's stance to push their case forward on August 10.
"When tensions hit the roof, they will persuade PAS to leave Pakatan. This will see the end of the coalition.
"Never mind, I am prepared to see PAS return to its old days of merely being an opposition party that can win only in Kelantan," the leader added sarcastically.
PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad did not dismiss the possibility of Pakatan splitting over the menteri besar issue, saying: "We are currently in a self-destruct mode. If we do not work to save Pakatan, then it is not impossible for it to split up.
"We need divine intervention to salvage Pakatan Rakyat, when everything else fails."
The possibility of Pakatan breaking up because of the Selangor menteri besar crisis does not surprise political analysts. Even DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has sounded the alarm bells.
Lim said yesterday PAS’s refusal to respect and adhere to the views agreed together could lead to the break-up of the coalition.
"If the decisions we have achieved together in the Pakatan highest leadership council are dismissed just like that by one party, the survival and credibility of Pakatan will continue to be undermined," he said in a statement in conjunction with Hari Raya.
Hadi’s endorsement of Khalid as MB was countered by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who said that it was merely the former Terengganu MB's "personal view". This might also split the Ismalist party.
This followed influential spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat backing Hadi's support for Khalid.
The latest development caused PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to issue a terse statement saying the party would stick to PR's decision that Khalid had to make way for Dr Wan Azizah.
Khalid, a former corporate captain, was appointed MB six years ago after PKR and its allies scored a shock win over Barisan Nasional (BN) in the state in the 2008 general election.
But he has often been accused by his detractors of running the state without consulting his party PKR as well as the Pakatan leadership.
He had also been criticised for his handling of issues, such as water rationing, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's seizure of Malay and Iban Bibles and support for the Kinrara Damansara Expressway (Kidex), which upset some Pakatan leaders as it was seen as going against the pact's election manifesto to abolish tolled highways.
Khalid, meanwhile, remained adamant that he would serve out his term. –TMI
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