Azmin named economic affairs minister, to reveal status of MB post later

Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali has been appointed to a federal post as economic affairs minister.

However, it is unclear if the PKR deputy president would relinquish his menteri besar post and move to Putrajaya.

His aide told Malaysiakini that an announcement on this would be made later.

In a May 15 news report, Selangor state secretary Mohd Amin Ahmad Ahya said Azmin had indicated earlier he might leave Selangor if his services are required at the federal level.

He said the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had also consented to this.

Azmin became the menteri besar in 2014 after a leadership crisis in PKR saw the removal of the then incumbent Khalid Ibrahim.

The crisis, better known as the Kajang Move, was said to be trigged in order to pave the way for PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to become menteri besar.

However, the plan was scuttled following Anwar's conviction which barred him from contesting in the March 23, 2014 by-election for the Kajang state seat.

Following this, his wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail contested and won the seat.

PKR had nominated Wan Azizah for the menteri besar post while PAS, its former ally in the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat, nominated other names.

The sultan then decided to appoint Azmin.

In the May 9 general election, Pakatan Harapan once again denied BN from recapturing the state for a third consecutive term, winning 51 of the 56 state seats. -Mkini