Ex-Selangor MB Khalid accuses Azmin of being an 'opportunist'

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim , the former Selangor mentri besar, is accusing his successor of being an "opportunist who makes populist decisions" without considering the impact it may have on the people.

Khalid said the Azmin Ali's declaration rejecting Putrajaya's newly-implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST) was nothing short of political drama.

"In reality, all local councils have been instructed to inform the public at all levels that GST would take effect from Apr 1.

"People should wake up from their dreams. What the Mentri Besar announced in the state assembly sitting last week will not change anything as Selangor is not exempted from GST," the Port Klang assemblyman said in a statement Monday.

Khalid, who is now an independent assemblyman after his unceremonious sacking from PKR for refusing to step down as a mentri besar last year, also criticised Azmin for a string of decisions that Khalid claimed would eventually cost Pakatan Rakyat the state.

These included earlier deals the state had signed with the Federal government such as the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) and the water restructuring exercise, which Azmin decided to shelve.

Therefore, Khalid said Azmin "needs to work harder" in order to be qualified to be called a statesman as he still based his decisions on "rhetoric and political drama".

"If this is how the new administration works, I would like to reiterate my call for the Mentri Besar to resign and offer his position to someone who is more qualified for the benefits and well-being of the people," said Khalid.