Another repeat of 2014 in Selangor
State heading for impasse over MB job
KLANG: A repeat of the 2014 mentri besar impasse in Selangor may be in store with the latest turn of events in the state.
Although state executive councillors Amirudin Shari (Sungai Tua) and Prof Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin (Seri Setia) started as the favourites for the position vacated by PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Ijok assemblyman Dr Idris Ahmad has officially entered the fray.
According to sources, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail submitted a letter to the Selangor palace earlier this week recommending the gynaecologist and obstetrician for the position.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s recommendation was also supported in writing by the state chiefs of DAP, Pribumi and Amanah who form Pakatan Harapan’s three other partners.
When contacted, one of the three leaders confirmed that he had written in support of Dr Wan Azizah’s preferred choice for the Selangor MB’s post.
A PKR elected representative, who declined to be identified, said party adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim held four-eyed meetings with Amirudin and Dr Idris during a gathering of PKR assemblymen and MPs earlier this week.
“He spent about 15 minutes with each of them and we came to understand that the talk revolved around the MB’s position,” said the elected representative.
Dr Idris is an Anwar loyalist, while Amirudin is seen as a protege of Azmin.
Many from within and outside the party fear that the mild-mannered Dr Idris would be a remote-controlled MB if he was indeed the chosen one.
“Even if he tries hard, he cannot come anywhere near Azmin’s or Khalid’s (former MB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) ability of administering Selangor due to his lack of experience,” said the elected representative.
Despite being a two-term assemblyman, Dr Idris’ participation in the Selangor Legislative Assembly sessions has been anything but low key.
The only issue he consistently raised was the monkey menace in his constituency.
When Dr Wan Azizah was not accepted as Khalid’s replacement by the Selangor palace in 2014 following her victory in the Kajang state by-election then, sources said Dr Idris’ name had been proposed for the position by the PKR top leadership.
But the recommendation was shot down by then Pakatan Rakyat partner parties DAP and PAS who were not keen on an MB they feared would be under the thumb of his party leaders.
A Pakatan Harapan source said it was now a two-horse race for the coveted post, with Dr Shaharuddin out of the equation.
Only the names of Amirudin and Dr Idris have been submitted to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
In an interview with The Star in conjunction with his 72nd birthday last December, the Selangor Ruler revealed why he had not approved of Dr Wan Azizah becoming the MB.
“I’ve said it before; the MB cannot be a puppet on a string, as the MB requires strong characteristics to sit at the helm,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
The MB’s position fell vacant after Azmin took up a Cabinet position as Economics Affairs Minister with the consent of Sultan Sharafuddin on May 21.