KUALA LUMPUR: PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has received the official endorsement from party leaders to become the next Selangor menteri besar, said party de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
Speaking after chairing the PKR supreme council meeting here last night, Anwar said the party leadership had agreed that Dr Azizah was the “best person” to replace Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
“The performance of Selangor has been exemplary and while we appreciate Khalid’s services, we also feel that extra measures have to be taken to solve issues causing anxiety among the people.
“To preserve the people’s confidence in the Pakatan government in Selangor, PKR has decided to support Dr Azizah as Khalid’s successor,” Anwar said.
Anwar, who is Dr Azizah’s husband, added that PKR would nominate her name as the new Selangor MB when Pakatan leaders assemble for a meeting tomorrow.
“The Pakatan leadership will decide how the transition of power will be conducted, and we will discuss the mechanisms at length. Of course, Khalid will be asked to continue providing advice to the Selangor government.”
He said, however, details would be revealed only after discussions at the Pakatan presidential council.
Anwar said the PKR leadership believed his wife was the most “suitable leader” who could provide stability in Selangor.
“We will take into account the views of PKR and Pakatan members before we reach a consensus on the proposal to have Dr Azizah assume the position of Selangor MB.
“But, at the same time, we want to solve longstanding problems that have plagued the people of Selangor, namely water shortages, the Kidex highway and basic infrastructure.”
He said no timeframe had been set on the proposed power transfer, and that it would be done in an orderly and swift manner.
The political difficulties in Selangor have been left unresolved for several months after the foiled Kajang Move, which was engineered as part of a scheme to remove Khalid from the post of Selangor MB.
Dr Azizah was tipped to become the new state administrator after winning the Kajang by-election. This was after her husband, Anwar, was found guilty of sodomy and disqualified from contesting the by-election.
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali commands the support of DAP and Pas in the state to become the new Selangor MB, but Anwar is said to be more interested in letting his wife assume the post.
In Shah Alam, the Selangor sultan’s private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, yesterday denied a report quoting him saying that Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had declined to grant an audience with Shah Alam member of parliament Khalid Samad.
Munir said he had told a reporter of an online news portal that the sultan had received a letter from Khalid requesting an audience with him.
“His majesty has not given his decision on whether he wants to meet or decline the request. Maybe the reporter twisted something. That is why I do not like speaking to reporters.
“I did not say that his majesty had declined (the request by Khalid).”
Earlier yesterday, the online news portal published a report titled “Sultan declines to grant audience with Khalid Samad” and quoted Munir allegedly saying that the sultan had refused to accept Khalid’s letter because it was not a letter requesting forgiveness but to provide an explanation.
On June 17, Khalid and three Selangor Pas MPs had urged the Selangor government to review the Selangor Islamic Religious Council’s (Mais) executive powers. The suggestion had angered the sultan, who rebuked Khalid on July 15.
Khalid had requested an audience with the sultan last week to explain his suggestion to review Mais’ powers.