‘Selangor Ruler’s consent needed in PAS exco case’

KUALA LUMPUR: Any decision on the fate of the three PAS executive councillors in the Selangor government must be made with the consent of the Sultan of Selangor, said PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

He said the appointment of the PAS exco members was done at the pleasure of the Sultan, whose consent was needed with regard to their tenure as members of the state administration.

“Their appointments were by the Sultan of Selangor and as such, we will wait for further developments before making a decision.

“The three exco members will continue to serve as we want a smooth administration in Selangor without disruptions,” he told reporters after chairing a PAS central working committee meeting at its headquarters yesterday.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan noted that the party was merely following procedures based on Article 53, Clause 7 of the Selangor state constitution.

“The posts of a state exco are held at the pleasure of the Sultan on the advice of the Mentri Besar. So, the question of resigning doesn’t arise,” he added.

Takiyuddin said PKR also had yet to decide and that the party was waiting for Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to return from abroad before deciding on the next course of action.

“The Mentri Besar has to get consent from the Sultan. We will leave it to Tuanku and cross the bridge when we come to it,” he added.

The three Selangor PAS state exco members – Datuk Iskandar Samad, Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi and Zaidy Abdul Talib – were asked to resign from their posts by Azmin after the PAS syura council decided to end political ties with PKR.

On Tuesday, PKR ordered its representatives in Kelantan to resign from their government posts and state local councils.

But Takiyuddin said PKR appointees in Kelantan need not resign.

On a separate matter, Tuan Ibrahim denied reports that 13 PAS lawmakers in Selangor were directed by the party leadership to pull out of the Selangor government if their three exco members resigned.