The Kajang Move: To fulfil a personal fiefdom or the people’s interest?
Much has been said and debated about the PKR gambit on the Kajang state constituency. Barely not even a year after the 13th general election in May last year, we are appalled to hear the antics of PKR leaders justifying the extremely unnecessary resignation of the former PKR ADUN for Kajang Lee Chin Cheh to pave the way for PKR de facto leader and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest the state seat.
The bone of contention here is the bad blood between the current Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and the PKR State Assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa and Gombak MP Mohamed Azmin Ali who claimed that the Menteri Besar of Selangor is not doing enough for the people of Selangor. And Azmin has made his point clear in criticising the recent salary hike proposed by the Selangor state government.
Alas, the man of the moment had to step in to diffuse the tension but it did not end there. The latest fiasco on the PKNS issue has been ticking a time-bomb and finally exploded when Azmin was removed as a board member, followed by the sudden “removal” of the PKNS staff who have been victimized by this feud between the Selangor PKR Chief and the Selangor Menteri Besar.
One thing very pertinent, prominent and much noticeable for sure would be the absence of the PKR President herself, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in the recent scheme of things. She has been staying very silent lately and does not even show up in the so-called “reconciliatory and explanatory” press conferences, gatherings and interviews given by Anwar, Azmin and Khalid jointly nor separately.
It is said Dr Wan Azizah stands on Tan Sri Khalid’s side but Anwar prefers Azmin as the MB-successor-in-waiting. After all, Pakatan Rakyat has won a second term in Selangor with a two-thirds majority, perhaps the younger echelon of leaders feel that it is time that the baton is passed over from the elderly leaders. Whether they are impatient or not is another different story but the fact is the younger generation felt the time was ripe and right for a leadership change and power handover.
However, the manner and method in which this whole Kajang saga is being engineered by the so-called master strategist Rafizi Ramli who is also the Pandan MP sparks of dubiousness, dishonesty and unjustifiable. Although PKR may think it is a sure win for them, no matter what the outcome, whether with a reduced majority or not, the fact is that this move has once again confirmed the fulfilling of the personal agenda of an individual whom Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said only harbours the ambition of beoming the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The fact is that after falling in his quest to win the general elections, he now aims to be the Menteri Besar of Selangor. Why the need to import a Penangite to run Selangor just like how a Malacca-born is running Penang now? Is the richest state in Malaysia by revenue and GDP so ill afford to produce a local-born talent to administer Selangor? Khalid seems to be doing fine in the eyes of the people, hence why the sudden change. This move to install Anwar as the new MB has even raised the ire of Selangor PAS Youth and demand that if Khalid is forced to step down, then PAS shall have the right to appoint its own MB-candidate for the Sultan of Selangor’s consent and approval.
Contrary to what many people think, the Selangor Sultan has the right, privilege and constitutional powers bestowed to him by the State Constitution of Selangor to appoint and give royal consent to the MB appointee, although most of the time the wishes of the rakyat and the majority of the state elected representatives’ views would be taken into account. Hence, the Sultan of Selangor is not a puppet as many critics think. Obviously His Royal Highness would also take into account the stability of the state and also the well-being of His subjects before making any decision on appointing a Menteri Besar from any party from that matter. Did the PKR leaders even meet and discuss this crucial and serious issue with His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor before engineering this Kajang gambit? Since Anwar did not deny that there is a possibility he can be made MB if he wins the Kajang by-election, shouldn’t PKR or Pakatan Rakyat for that matter bring the attention of this plan to the Sultan first before deciding on the next step?
Why such a hurry in the resignation of Lee Chin Cheh and in a matter of 24 hours or so, announced Anwar as the replacement candidate? Why did the former Kajang ADUN resigned when he is still in good health and there seem to be no reasonable acceptable justification for his resignation apart from his so-called personal “sacrifice” for Anwar.
Again, is this a move to fulfil a personal satisfaction in a personal fiefdom or is this really a move for the rakyat’s interests for the betterment of Selangor?
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