THE UMNO & MB FACTOR: Snap polls in Selangor ruled out - FOR NOW

KUALA LUMPUR - Selangor is unlikely to hold early elections despite the disintegration of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact as Mentri Besar Azmin Ali still commands the full support of the PKR, DAP and PAS assemblymen.

Malay Mail Online understands that Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, is vehemently against the idea of snap elections and will be meeting with PAS and DAP separately to discuss the continuation of his administration.

“No to snap polls in Selangor, out of the question. The Selangor executive councillors are all still willing to work for the state,” a source close to the Selangor MB told Malay Mail Online.

A Selangor DAP source said the same thing, adding that the party’s state chapter will set a meeting with Azmin soon to discuss “possible scenarios”.

“Will set a meet soon, but no to snap polls,” the source told Malay Mail Online.

Questions have been asked on the plausibility of the three parties that formed the state coalition government to work with each other now that PAS and DAP are on unfriendly terms.

Azmin Ali

Selangor PAS executive councillor Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi said he has no problem working alongside his DAP counterparts in the state government despite the fallout.

“PAS excos have no problem working with DAP excos. The issue of state elections does not arise,” he told Malay Mail Online.

PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli said that there have been no discussions about snap elections in Selangor, where the DAP and PAS have 15 seats each in the 56-seat state legislative assembly, while PKR has 13.

“I do not think the issue arises, as long as Azmin continues to command the support from state assemblymen,” he told Malay Mail Online.

Former Selangor PAS secretary Mohd Khairuddin Othman said the state PAS leadership has agreed to continue supporting the current Selangor government with Azmin as MB.

“Our stand is that we will continue working with MB Azmin, and the appointments of the excos were blessed by the Selangor Sultan, therefore there is no reason for PAS to shirk our responsibilities.

“I think even Selangor DAP excos have no problem working together,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan pointed out that since PR was never a formal coalition to begin with, what has happened is a “political breakup” instead of a “legal dissolution”.

Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi

“The question as to whether there should be snap elections (will) only arise if there is the possibility that the current mentri besar loses the confidence of majority of the state assemblymen.

“At this point in time, there is no indication that the confidence is in jeopardy,” he told Malay Mail Online.

Syahredzan noted that the Selangor government formed by PKR, PAS and the DAP is essentially a coalition government that remains intact “until a party pulls out of the government”.

Earlier this week, PKR said PR has ceased to “function formally” as a coalition, following “hasty” decisions made by DAP and PAS.

In a statement, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said her party regretted PAS’ muktamar resolution to cut ties with the DAP as well as the DAP’s declaration that their three-party partnership was over. - TMI