MORE CHEERS THAN TEARS: Khalid bids farewell

SHAH ALAM - There were tears, and cheers, at the State Secretariat building as Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim bade farewell to his staff. The outgoing mentri besar, who seemed overcome, thanked all for doing their best and for putting the interest of Selangor above everything else.

“I am lucky to have been given the trust to carry out my duties correctly and accountably,” Khalid told the cheering crowd.

He said he might have come across as tough at times but his approach was sincere and for the betterment of the state.

“If it was right we carried on, and if wrong, we stopped. That’s how Selangor became an affluent state,” he said as the gathering of people applauded him.

Khalid, who took over as mentri besar in 2008 and was re-appointed following the 2013 general election, advised the civil servants to do their best “and ensure all families in the state had a sense of belonging to Selangor”.

He also spoke about having restructured the state’s water industry before ending his term.

Khalid said the challenge for the incoming leaders was for them to ensure the water assets remained with the people.

“If they don’t follow through, the people will punish them as this (restructuring of water assets) was promised in the 13th general election manifesto,’’ he stressed.

He took off with these words: “Let the politicians wage war and carry on with their dramatics. You continue with your work.”

State Secretary Datuk Mohammed Khusrin Munawi, who was present, said Khalid would be remembered as the MB “who transformed the state government”.

He said Khalid’s biggest coup was ending years of privatisation of the state’s water industry. -ANN