ANALYSIS PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s latest comments yesterday have made it clear that Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is walking his last days as Selangor menteri besar.
Anwar’s statement can be seen as an admission of sorts, as if seeking Khalid to vacate the seat on request of his party and Pakatan Rakyat.
Khalid now appears to be alone in his corner, and can longer reach out for support from PKR to remain in the post that he has held for six years.
A change of MB’s is not something strange in politics. Indeed in Terengganu, the MBs were changed as per normal procedure at the behest of top party leadership.
Those in PKR agitating for Khalid’s departure, however, say he must do so for the sake of accountability. Is this really the reason for Khalid to leave?
While Anwar has called for the issue to be dealt with properly “behind closed doors”, veiled attacks and psychological warfare via the mainstream and social media continue to prevail.
As a result, whether or not Khalid leaves, the polemics and scheming that it has ignited can do no worse for PKR and Pakatan’s image.
'Move 28'
With the PKR party election still unresolved, shifting in the winds is something slyly dubbed 'Move 28' purportedly discussed by the Selangor Backbenchers’ Club (BBC) recently.
Sources from the legislative assembly said 28 out of 31 Selangor Pakatan assemblypersons have agreed to move a motion of no confidence against Khalid.
This has led Selangor BBC chairperson Azmin Ali to call a special meeting for the first time in three years in Shah Alam last Tuesday.
“Only two assemblypersons from PAS attended the meeting - Khasim Abdul Aziz (Lembah Jaya) and Saari Sungib (Ulu Klang),” the source told Malaysiakini.
Most of the DAP and PKR assemblypersons have come to the consensus to strongly urge Khalid to resign.
Only PAS remains silent on the matter, waiting on 'higher authority' for consent.
Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Ab Samad, who is also a Selangor executive councillor, declined to comment on whether he supports or rejects Khalid.
However, Selangor PAS sources claim that the directive from the top is to accede to PKR and DAP’s pressure on the matter.
Azmin, who has long been said to be eyeing the MB post, himself refuses to confirm or deny ‘Move 28’.
“Please don’t speculate,” he told reporters who swarmed him after the meeting on Tuesday.
However, PKR sources claim that the vote of no confidence could not be discussed at the said meeting, as PAS representatives had not received clear instructions from their top leaders.
Psychological warfare continues
Meanwhile, war between pro and anti-Khalid sources heighten in the social and mainstream media with both sides launching broadsides both veiled and direct.
Selangor DAP leaders have been increasingly vocal in attacking Khalid on issues like the water restructuring issue, water rationing, the Bible Society Malaysia bible seizure and the construction of the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).
Selangor PKR on the other hand is believed to be using the long-protracted party polls as an anti-Khalid platform, further widening Azmin’s lead against Khalid in the number two race.
“Khalid will feel even more pressured after he loses in the polls. He will have nothing left,” one source told Malaysiakini.
On Khalid’s side, the NGO Coalition of Selangorians in Support of the MB (Pasmeb) is actively voicing opinions and lodging police reports against PKR leaders believed to be linked to the spreading of false information on Khalid’s resignation last week.
Also believed to be linked to the feud is Khalid’s announcement that an internal audit will be conducted on all state constituency service centres that has received grants from the state.
The state is also reviewing the performance of all state GLCs and its directors, a move Khalid says is not political but is seen to place pressure on Selangor PKR leaders sitting on boards of directors.
Will Pakatan lose Selangor?
Worse, both sides are now summoning the bogeyman of defeat in the 14th general election if whatever they are pushing for does not materialise.
Sources from the MB’s Office have raised concerns that if Khalid is gone, the RM3 billion in reserves that he has helped accumulate will be prioritised for partisan politics instead of the rakyat.
Those who have stuck it out with Khalid since 2008 also caution that the popular ‘Democratising the Selangor Economy’ programmes introduced by the MB will be cancelled or changed.
“What will the rakyat say when PKR or Pakatan are seen using taxpayers’ money at whim?” one source asked.
The source also claims that Khalid’s departure from the corner office of the state secretariat building will make things easier for BN to wrest back the crown jewel state.
The source says that this is as Khalid’s successor will not be able to take drastic measures superseding political interest as ruthlessly as the former Guthrie CEO did.
On the flipside, the opposing side argues if Khalid continues to dig his heels in the airing of dirty linen it will only cause voter distrust in Selangor, which can be further exploited by the BN.
“If Khalid does not resign, Pakatan will lose Selangor after this,” one Selangor PKR source said bluntly.
The rakyat may soon be able to see for themselves how BN and Pakatan deal with the issue of changing MBs in the states that they hold, and decide which one wins the vote.
The fledgling Pakatan’s wisdom in handling this thorny issue will also show if the coalition is simply a pact for individual political gains, or one which heeds the people’s desires.
Will PKR ace this delicate test?
Anwar’s statement can be seen as an admission of sorts, as if seeking Khalid to vacate the seat on request of his party and Pakatan Rakyat.
Khalid now appears to be alone in his corner, and can longer reach out for support from PKR to remain in the post that he has held for six years.
A change of MB’s is not something strange in politics. Indeed in Terengganu, the MBs were changed as per normal procedure at the behest of top party leadership.
Those in PKR agitating for Khalid’s departure, however, say he must do so for the sake of accountability. Is this really the reason for Khalid to leave?
While Anwar has called for the issue to be dealt with properly “behind closed doors”, veiled attacks and psychological warfare via the mainstream and social media continue to prevail.
As a result, whether or not Khalid leaves, the polemics and scheming that it has ignited can do no worse for PKR and Pakatan’s image.
'Move 28'
With the PKR party election still unresolved, shifting in the winds is something slyly dubbed 'Move 28' purportedly discussed by the Selangor Backbenchers’ Club (BBC) recently.
Sources from the legislative assembly said 28 out of 31 Selangor Pakatan assemblypersons have agreed to move a motion of no confidence against Khalid.
This has led Selangor BBC chairperson Azmin Ali to call a special meeting for the first time in three years in Shah Alam last Tuesday.
“Only two assemblypersons from PAS attended the meeting - Khasim Abdul Aziz (Lembah Jaya) and Saari Sungib (Ulu Klang),” the source told Malaysiakini.
Most of the DAP and PKR assemblypersons have come to the consensus to strongly urge Khalid to resign.
Only PAS remains silent on the matter, waiting on 'higher authority' for consent.
Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Ab Samad, who is also a Selangor executive councillor, declined to comment on whether he supports or rejects Khalid.
However, Selangor PAS sources claim that the directive from the top is to accede to PKR and DAP’s pressure on the matter.
Azmin, who has long been said to be eyeing the MB post, himself refuses to confirm or deny ‘Move 28’.
“Please don’t speculate,” he told reporters who swarmed him after the meeting on Tuesday.
However, PKR sources claim that the vote of no confidence could not be discussed at the said meeting, as PAS representatives had not received clear instructions from their top leaders.
Psychological warfare continues
Meanwhile, war between pro and anti-Khalid sources heighten in the social and mainstream media with both sides launching broadsides both veiled and direct.
Selangor DAP leaders have been increasingly vocal in attacking Khalid on issues like the water restructuring issue, water rationing, the Bible Society Malaysia bible seizure and the construction of the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).
Selangor PKR on the other hand is believed to be using the long-protracted party polls as an anti-Khalid platform, further widening Azmin’s lead against Khalid in the number two race.
“Khalid will feel even more pressured after he loses in the polls. He will have nothing left,” one source told Malaysiakini.
On Khalid’s side, the NGO Coalition of Selangorians in Support of the MB (Pasmeb) is actively voicing opinions and lodging police reports against PKR leaders believed to be linked to the spreading of false information on Khalid’s resignation last week.
Also believed to be linked to the feud is Khalid’s announcement that an internal audit will be conducted on all state constituency service centres that has received grants from the state.
The state is also reviewing the performance of all state GLCs and its directors, a move Khalid says is not political but is seen to place pressure on Selangor PKR leaders sitting on boards of directors.
Will Pakatan lose Selangor?
Worse, both sides are now summoning the bogeyman of defeat in the 14th general election if whatever they are pushing for does not materialise.
Sources from the MB’s Office have raised concerns that if Khalid is gone, the RM3 billion in reserves that he has helped accumulate will be prioritised for partisan politics instead of the rakyat.
Those who have stuck it out with Khalid since 2008 also caution that the popular ‘Democratising the Selangor Economy’ programmes introduced by the MB will be cancelled or changed.
“What will the rakyat say when PKR or Pakatan are seen using taxpayers’ money at whim?” one source asked.
The source also claims that Khalid’s departure from the corner office of the state secretariat building will make things easier for BN to wrest back the crown jewel state.
The source says that this is as Khalid’s successor will not be able to take drastic measures superseding political interest as ruthlessly as the former Guthrie CEO did.
On the flipside, the opposing side argues if Khalid continues to dig his heels in the airing of dirty linen it will only cause voter distrust in Selangor, which can be further exploited by the BN.
“If Khalid does not resign, Pakatan will lose Selangor after this,” one Selangor PKR source said bluntly.
The rakyat may soon be able to see for themselves how BN and Pakatan deal with the issue of changing MBs in the states that they hold, and decide which one wins the vote.
The fledgling Pakatan’s wisdom in handling this thorny issue will also show if the coalition is simply a pact for individual political gains, or one which heeds the people’s desires.
Will PKR ace this delicate test?
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