Hadi keeps mum on support for Khalid as MB, says Sultan will make final choice

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang says only the Selangor Sultan can decide on who becomes the state's menteri besar. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 14, 2014.

Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang last night refused to confirm allegations that he was exploring the possibility of retaining Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as the Selangor menteri besar, and instead said only the state ruler had the right to decide on the post.

The ruling Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition in Selangor are divided over who is best to take over from Khalid, who was sacked by PKR for intransigence last month. PKR and DAP want PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to lead the state government but PAS has balked at their choice.

“The right to determine the menteri besar is not up to me. It is the Sultan who decides,” the PAS president told reporters last night while campaigning for the  Pengkalan Kubor by-election in Kelantan.

When asked about reports that his solution to the Selangor impasse was to retain Khalid as menteri besar while he personally monitored the ex-PKR man, Hadi said he had not read the news.

“I haven’t read the news today. I just returned from Jakarta yesterday (Friday),” he said.

Yesterday, Selangor deputy speaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said Hadi had raised this possibility during a recent meeting with the youth wings of DAP, PKR, and PAS.

"During the meeting, I asked Hadi about possible solutions to resolve the impasse in Selangor," Nik Nazmi, who is also PKR Youth chief, said in a statement.

"His final answer was to retain Khalid as Selangor menteri besar and he, Hadi, would personally monitor Khalid.

"This possibility would be in direct conflict with the Selangor assembly, as the majority of the state assembly support Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail."

But Hadi was vague on the details of the meeting with the youth chiefs, saying only that he had met many people that day.

“Maybe one of them was Nik Nazmi. The others were PAS Youth, DAP Youth. I also met the PAS central committee,” said Hadi.

He said it was up to PKR to decide who they wanted to nominate, adding that he could not interfere in the party’s decision-making.

“PAS submitted three names. I don’t know how many names the other parties submitted.”

Last Monday, the Selangor Sultan had expressed disappointment with PKR and DAP for defying his decree that each party in the coalition submit at least three names to the palace for consideration for the menteri besar post.

"DAP and Keadilan's actions reflect their insolence towards the royal institution and is treason towards the Selangor Sultan," said a statement issued by the Sultan's private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng later sought forgiveness from the‎ Sultan for submitting only one name for the menteri besar position, while reiterating the party's loyalty to the state monarch.

De facto PKR chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also sought forgiveness from the Sultan, but insisted that PKR's decision to propose only one nominee, Dr Wan Azizah, was in line with the state's law and convention.

PAS is the only party which had deviated from the PR consensus of nominating only Dr Wan Azizah, and had submitted the names of two PKR representatives and one from its own ranks.

Hadi had told a special briefing for PAS members on September 5 that Dr Wan Azizah was not qualified for the post as the PKR president did not have the ability to debate questions in Parliament or the state assembly.

- TMI