Plan B to remove Khalid as MB?

Anwar Ibrahim is going to use the state select committee to remove Khalid on grounds of misconduct, claims Raja Petra

PETALING JAYA: An alternative plan is being hatched to remove Khalid Ibrahim as the Selangor Menteri Besar immediately after the Kajang state seat by-election, claimed popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin today.

Writing in his Malaysia-Today portal, Raja Petra claimed Anwar Ibrahim wants to use the Selangor government’s Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency to remove Khalid on grounds of misconduct.

The select committee will meet on March 25 and 26, two days after the by-election which Anwar is expected to win handsomely, to investigate PKR deputy president Azmin Ali’s removal from the board of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) last December.

Both Khalid, who has been accused of being behind Azmin’s sacking, and the latter will be summoned to testify before the select committee.

“And if it is found that Khalid is the culprit while Azmin is the victim, then Khalid can be asked to resign on grounds of misconduct. That is the contingency plan. Pakatan Rakyat knows that Khalid is not going to voluntarily resign on March 24, 2014.

“And if he does not resign on March 24, then the next day, on March 25, he will be put on trial. And he cannot refuse to attend trial. Henceforth, Khalid can be removed from office once a guilty verdict is passed against him,” said Raja Petra.

‘Khalid won’t resign voluntarily’

Raja Petra also said that Anwar was aware that Khalid would not voluntarily resign from the post to allow him (Anwar) to take over.

“Hence, Khalid must be found guilty of a crime, and two days after the Kajang by-election they are going to do just this,” he said.

The rift between Khalid and Azmin erupted in the open following GE13 when Khalid was reinstated as the MB despite party leaders favouring Azmin for the post.

Azmin is also the Bukit Antarabangsa state rep and state PKR leader, was removed from PKNS, and this did not go down well with PKR’s top leadership who jump to his defence.

They urged Khalid to reinstate Azmin to the PKNS board while several openly called for Khalid to be replaced as the Selangor MB.

The Menteri Besar’s office had later said that PKNS general manager Othman Omar was behind the sacking. Othman was subsequently sacked from PKNS.

Earlier this month, 22 contract staff of PKNS Holdings were dismissed. Insiders claimed that these 22 were people aligned to Azmin.