Selangor MB crisis: Barisan wants Khalid to remain

As the Selangor Mentri Besar crisis continues to play out, state opposition leader Datuk Shamsuddin Lias says Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim should continue helming the post.

"The people have already accepted Khalid (as Mentri Besar) and for the sake of development he should just continue.

“This turmoil shows that there are many in PKR who are just interested in power," the Selangor Umno leader told The Star Online Thursday.

Shamsuddin pointed out that Khalid had previously said that this would be his last term in the post.

"When he was elected for the post, he was praised to the heavens but not even a year into his term and they wanted to replace him.

“In any case, we will continue doing our job as the opposition," he said.

PKR had this week officially announced that it was backing party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to become Mentri Besar.

"He couldn't become Prime Minister, so he trained his sight on the Mentri Besar post. But now that it is impossible, he wants his wife to take the post. This is all just nepotism," said Shamsuddin in reference to PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

When asked if a no-confidence vote was initiated against Khalid, Shamsuddin said, "we will just wait and see if it comes to that."

The initial plan had been for Anwar to take over from Khalid through the Kajang by­election. But the plan was thwarted after the Appeal’s Court found Anwar guilty of sodomy and sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment in March.

Dr Wan Azizah replaced Anwar as the PKR candidate in the June by-election and won the seat.
Khalid has been under pressure to vacate his seat in the past few months but has remained defiant and said he will stay put until he is legally removed according to the stipulated procedure.

Selangor PAS has objected to any move to replace Khalid.