Selangor MB to be sworn in on Tuesday

Will it be Idris Ahmad, Iskandar Samad or Azmin Ali.

COMMENT

One year after the Kajang Move was mooted, Selangor will finally get a new Menteri Besar (MB). The swearing in of this new MB will be at 10.00 am next Tuesday.

The invitations that have been sent out simply says, “Istiadat Angkat Sumpah Jawatan Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Menteri Besar Selangor.” It does not say who the new MB is.

Nevertheless, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. The most persistent rumour is that two names have been shortlisted. Some are speculating that it is a choice between Idris Ahmad of PKR and Iskandar Samad of PAS. Another rumour says it is between Iskandar and PKR Deputy President Azmin Ali.

Whichever is the correct list, it looks like Anwar Ibrahim’s wish for his wife to become the new MB will not materialise after all. Equally disappointed will be Azmin if his name is not one of the two. Sources say he had hoped he would get the job if the Sultan were to reject Wan Azizah Ismail.

Most people had speculated that if the crisis could not be resolved, outgoing MB Khalid Ibrahim would request for the Sultan to dissolve the Selangor State Assembly to make way for fresh elections.

That was what Anwar also hoped and that was the reason he stubbornly stuck to just one name. Anwar felt that if new state elections are held, he could reshuffle the candidates’ list and get rid of the problem makers, mostly those assemblymen aligned to Azmin.

Anyway, until we know for sure whom the Sultan has in mind, we have two possible candidates. If I were to speculate, I would say Azmin will get the job.

Roslan Bistamam is an FMT columnist