Sultan upset with PKR, DAP for submitting only one name for MB

A statement from the Selangor royal household says Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah is disappointed with PKR and DAP for not submitting more than two names for the Selangor MB post, as requested. – The Malaysia Insider file pic, September 8, 2014.The Sultan of Selangor is disappointed with PKR and DAP after both parties did not heed the ruler's request to submit more than two names for the menteri besar‎ position, according to a statement by the Selangor palace today.

"The Selangor Sultan is extremely disappointed by the actions of DAP and Keadilan in disobeying the decree he made on August 27 2014‎.

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

It said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had decreed each party within Pakatan Rakyat to submit more than two names, saying it was the palace's convention on the matter.

Only PAS submitted three names, while PKR and DAP had nominated Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan‎ Ismail as their sole MB candidate to replace Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

According to the statement, the request for more than two names was a convention practised by ‎the Selangor Sultan.

"This is to allow him to decide on the future Selangor menteri besar by looking not only at the majority support of the state legislative assembly, but also in terms of the skills, experience, integrity and‎ capabilities of the state assemblyman."

Last week, PKR and DAP had submitted Dr Wan Azizah's name to the palace on the grounds that she alone had the support of 30 of the 56 Selangor assembly members‎.

They had also claimed that‎ the sultan last year had accepted Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as the coalition's sole nominee for the position, despite the sultan's request for four names at that time.

However, on September 3, the Selangor palace issued a reprimand to PKR for submitting only one name, prompting the party to announce it would take "necessary and appropriate steps" in the next 48 hours.

‎But, PKR said yesterday it would present an official response to the palace only after its de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, returned from overseas, according to Malaysiakini.

The news portal quoted PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution as saying the party did not have any particular deadline, but would discuss it next week.

Meanwhile, PAS had submitted three names, two from PKR and one from its own ranks, in a move that had strained ties between the allies.

PAS president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, had told a special briefing for PAS on Friday that Dr Wan Azizah was not qualified to become MB as she did not have the ability to debate questions in Parliament or the state assembly.

- TMI