Azmin to be sworn in today
PKR deputy president set to remain as Selangor MB
KLANG: Contrary to speculation that he would be assuming a Cabinet position, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali will remain as Selangor Mentri Besar.
Azmin, who sought an audience with Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yesterday, will be sworn in at Istana Alam Shah here at 3pm today.
The Ruler’s private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, said Sultan Sharafuddin had consented to Azmin being sworn in as the Mentri Besar.
According to Mohamad Munir, Azmin had briefed the Sultan about the election results as well as the current status of Pakatan Harapan’s leadership in Selangor.
He added that Azmin had also informed Sultan Sharafuddin that he has the support of Pakatan members in the Selangor legislative assembly to be Mentri Besar.
“His Majesty wants the Selangor state administration established as soon as possible,” Mohamad Munir said, adding that it was also to ensure the people’s harmony and welfare.
Meanwhile, Azmin also called a meeting of PKR’s newly elected assemblymen at 5pm at a hotel yesterday.
Earlier in the day, Azmin issued a media statement thanking the people of Selangor for giving Pakatan a stronger mandate.
“We have won 51 out of 56 seats in the state – a stunning 91%,” said Azmin.
He added the number of seats won by Pakatan exceeded his own expectation of winning just 40 seats.
Out of the five seats that Pakatan did not win in Selangor, Umno held four while PAS has one.
The turn of events came as a shock to many, especially Barisan Nasional members and supporters, because the coalition had projected winning at least 30 seats.
The four seats won by Barisan are Sungai Burong ( Datuk Shamsudin Lias), Sungai Air Tawar (Rizam Ismail), Hulu Bernam (Datuk Rosni Sohar) and Sungai Panjang (Datuk Imran Tamrin).
The sole PAS state assembly seat win is Sijangkang, which was won by former Selangor executive councillor Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi.
Big names vanquished include Selangor Umno and Barisan deputy chief Datuk Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan, who lost his Batang Kali seat to Pribumi’s Harumaini Omar, and Selangor Umno secretary Datuk Johan Abdul Aziz, who lost his Semenyih seat to Bakhtiar Mohd Nor, also from Pribumi.
Azmin is expected to announce PKR’s exco line-up soon after he has been sworn in but it is yet to be known how the 10 positions will be distributed among PKR, Pribumi, DAP and Amanah.
A Selangor Pakatan insider said DAP’s Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim will probably be appointed as the new Speaker while someone from Amanah will be the deputy Speaker.