PKR, DAP BLINDSIDED BY PAS’ MOVE

(NST) – Relations between the Pakatan coalition partners were stretched to breaking point yesterday when Pas dropped a bombshell on PKR and DAP by announcing that it had sent three nominations for the Selangor menteri besar (MB) post, including one from among its assemblymen.

The move was a clear indication that Pas is breaking rank with its allies, which had insisted on nominating only PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the post.

Pas secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali confirmed the party’s move in a one-worded text message to the New Straits Times.

“Betul (correct),” he replied to NST’s question whether it was true that Pas had sent a nomination from among its assemblymen, apart from another two from PKR.

Mustafa later told party organ Harakahdaily that the nomination of the three candidates was sent straight from the Pas president’s office to the palace, in an apparent inference that it had been endorsed by party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

“Yes, it’s more than two names, so, it’s three names,” he was quoted as replying to a question on the matter by Harakahdaily.

He added that the Pas’ move was to fulfil the request by Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah in a decree on Aug 26 which requires members of the Pakatan coalition to submit at least three nominations to replace Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as MB.

Mustafa, however, declined to name the two PKR and one Pas assemblymen nominated by the party.

Sources had however told NST that Dr Wan Azizah and her party deputy Azmin Ali were almost certain to be the two nominees from PKR while the Pas candidate is likely Selangor Pas commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad.

Iskandar, who is Cempaka assemblyman is serving in Khalid’s administration as the chairman of state Housing, Building Management and Urban Settlers Executive Committee.

On Wednesday, PKR confirmed that it had sent a single nomination to the Selangor palace, that of Dr Wan Azizah, while sources close to the DAP leadership indicated that the party had followed suit.

On the same day, Pas sent its nominations, which was only made known yesterday, by courier to
Istana Mestika, just hours before the deadline set by the palace expired.

It is understood that Pas’ decision to wait until the last minute to submit its nominations was to keep the names of its nominees tightly under wraps to prevent interference from its Pakatan allies.

The high level of secrecy observed by Pas on the matter was evident when even the state party leadership was blindsided by the decision.

When contacted, Iskandar said he did not know anything and was not even sure whether the early reports on the matter were true.

“I cannot comment as we have not been told by our leaders why it was submitted.

“We are in the dark,” he said in a text message to NST.

He also refused to comment on the possibility of him being his party’s candidate for the post.

It was also obvious that Pas had gone to great lengths to avoid PKR and DAP from getting a hint of its move when Mustafa on Tuesday denied a front page report by NST on that day which stated that the party was to submit a third nomination other than that of Dr Wan Azizah and Azmin Ali for the palace’s consideration.

Mustafa, in issuing the denial had insisted that the party would keep with its suggestion of two PKR assemblymen, and at the same time stressed that the party would not be suggesting one of its own for the MB post.

This was not the first time Pas sprang a surprise in the Selangor leadership crisis.

The party was earlier heavily criticised by some of its own members and Khalid’s supporters when it succumbed to pressure from its allies and the pro-PKR faction in the party known as “Anwarinas” by going against its Syura Council’s decision to back the outgoing MB.

The party’s U-turn followed a decision by its central committee on Aug 17 which was to join its Pakatan allies in pledging support for Dr Wan Azizah as Khalid’s replacement, setting aside the council’s decision on Aug 7 to support him as MB.

The party was also criticised by its supporters for not being bold enough to name one of its own assemblymen as a candidate despite having 15 seats, the same as DAP compared with PKR which now only has 13 seats after Khalid was sacked from the party.