Dilemma over appointment of Selangor MB if Perikatan wins state polls

KLANG: In the event Perikatan Nasional manages to grab Selangor from the current Pakatan Harapan administration, there may arise a dilemma over the appointment of the new mentri besar.

Selangor Perikatan election machinery deputy director Kapt (Rtd) Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi, who is from Bersatu, said Datuk Seri Azmin Ali had an opportunity helming the position if he managed to defend his Bukit Antarabangsa seat.

Azmin was the former Selangor mentri besar who took office in 2014 after PKR ousted the then sitting mentri besar the late Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Dr Zulkafperi, who is the newly elected Tanjong Karang MP, has been quoted as saying that Perikatan opined that Azmin’s experience could help him emerge victorious in Selangor.

However, this was quickly refuted by former Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad in his Facebook Timeline.

“I believe you should not jump the gun. There are also others with experience capable of becoming MB,’’ said Iskandar.

The PAS national treasurer said that there wasn’t a need to name the future mentri besar without considering all options.

“True, Azmin was a successful MB but times have changed.

“The political landscape has changed 180 degrees.

“We need to consider this as well,’’ said Iskandar.

He added Selangor Perikatan had many talented leaders who must not be overlooked.

Both PAS and Bersatu are partners in Perikatan but the Islamist party has a much bigger support base than the latter.

Selangor PAS secretary Roslan Shahir said it was up to Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to select the new mentri besar.

However, he added, PAS will tender in its list of mentri besar candidates for the Ruler’s perusal when the time comes.

“We have far more qualified and experienced people for the position as we have had people who had been exco members in the Selangor government,’’ said Roslan.

The PAS members who had had experience as state executive councillors when the party was part of the then Pakatan Rakyat are Iskandar, Datuk Ahmad Yunus Hairi, Dr Halimah Ali, Sallehen Mukhy and Zaidy Abdul Talib.