Selangor MB saga: Pakatan Rakyat headed for 'splitsville' after Hari Raya Aidilfitri

The turmoil plaguing Pakatan Rakyat of late has reached its pinnacle – and August 10 may be the date that will decide the future of component parties made up of PAS, DAP and PKR.

Political analyst Ibrahim Suffian believes the opposition coalition party’s fate will depend on the outcome of the PAS central committee meeting slated for August 10.

He said the decision on whether PAS will support Pakatan Rakyat’s stand to oust Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as Selangor Menteri Besar will determine the future of Pakatan Rakyat.

“The Khalid issue is not merely an issue of replacing the Menteri Besar but also involves the cooperation between PAS, DAP and PKR.

“The possibility of the coalition breaking up is very high because PAS seems not in agreement with the decision made during the Pakatan Rakyat central leadership council meeting.

“If the Islamist party decides during the August 10 meeting that Khalid should remain as the Selangor Menteri Besar, there’s a huge possibility that Pakatan Rakyat will part ways,” he told Astro AWANI.

He said, although there were some in PAS that wants Khalid Ibrahim to relinquish his post, at the end it will depend on the decision made by party president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

Abdul Hadi explained discipline within the party is very high; each member will adhere to any decision made by its leaders, especially the president.

“To ensure the PAS’ decision is parallel to Pakatan Rakyat’s stand, someone needs to persuade Hadi to agree with the proposal to replace Khalid Ibrahim.

“If not, PAS will stand independently once again and be a force to be reckoned with only in the East Coast, especially in Kelantan,” he said.

Hadi’s sentiments were echoed by several PAS leaders who feel the party has now become increasingly difficult to cooperate with.

News portal The Malaysian Insider had previously reported that several PAS leaders feel Pakatan Rakyat may dissolve after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

This following Abdul Hadi’s rejection of the proposal made by the Pakatan Rakyat central leadership council meeting to replace Khalid Ibrahim with another candidate from the party as the Menteri Besar.

The report quoted its source, who claimed to be a top PAS leader, as saying the group that had supported Pakatan Rakyat’s decision to replace the Menteri Besar of Selangor was made up of professionals.

The source added those who had wanted Khalid Ibrahim to remain as menteri besar consisted of those from the conservative Dewan Ulama group and the party’s Youth wing.

“There’s a huge possibility Pakatan Rakyat will split after Hari Raya. Hadi had gone against the decision made at the PAS and PR meetings, which he himself had not attended,” The Malaysian Insider reported quoting a source who claimed to be one of the top PAS leaders.