Crisis in Selangor - PAS may be booted out of state govt

PETALING JAYA: The Selangor executive councillors (exco) from PAS have been asked to resign by Monday if their party insists on going ahead to contest in the Sungai Besar by-election.

The ultimatum came from Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (pic) who wants PKR to contest the seat instead of the warring PAS or Amanah.

Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, had conveyed this to Datuk Iskandar Samad, who is Selangor PAS commissioner, and the other PAS excos, Datuk Ahmad Yunus Hairi and Zaidy Abdul Talib, after the state exco meeting on Wednesday.

However, Selangor PAS sources said the top party leadership has decided to go ahead with the contest after a late night meeting in Datuk Seri Hadi Awang's house in Rusila, Terengganu.

The three state exco members and several Selangor party leaders had flown to Terengganu on Wednesday for the emergency meeting.

"Our president is standing by the central committee decision to contest the by-elections," said the Selangor PAS source.

Hadi, the PAS president, instructed the exco trio not to resign. He said the party is prepared to be expelled from the government.

During his meeting with the PAS exco members, Azmin had said that PKR has a better chance against Umno in Sungai Besar.

He said PKR can garner the Malay and Chinese votes whereas PAS and Amanah would cancel out each other and give an easy victory to Umno.

Azmin gave the assurance that he would negotiate with the Pakatan Harapan leaders for a clear passage for PAS in the Kuala Kangsar by-election.

He also promised that PAS would be given the Sabak Bernam parliamentary seat in the general election. PKR had contested and lost in Sabak Bernam in 2013.

The stand-off between Azmin and PAS in Selangor could not have happened at a worst time for the ruling coalition in the state.

The by-elections on June 15 are taking place following the deaths of Datuk Noriah Kasnon  and Datuk Wan Mohammad Khairil Wan Ahmad in a helicopter crash earlier this month.