MB crisis: Sultan of Selangor wants more than one candidate - Source

The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has cut short his overseas trip and will return on Saturday to address the state's Menteri Besar (MB) crisis.

It is believed that he will request for more than one name to be nominated as candidate so that he can compare and choose the best person to be MB.

According to sources within PKR, the MB issue is expected to be resolved by next week.

“The Sultan is coming home today. PKR president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will seek audience with him tomorrow (Sunday) or Monday, latest,” the source told Astro Awani on Saturday.

“He will ask for few names to be pushed as candidate. PKR will have to give alternatives.”

The source added that preparations for the MB swearing-in ceremony at the palace is ready and is expected to be carried out next week.

“They are just waiting for the name from the Sultan. This crisis will come to an end and the Selangor people will get a new MB.”

“The possibility of calling for state elections is low because it is understood that the palace does not want the crisis to prolong,” said the source.

Based on a Merdeka Center survey conducted recently, over half of the voters in Selangor would give Pakatan Rakyat a second chance to run the state, although there is ‘markedly lower’ confidence among voters towards the coalition.

The survey also found that a quarter of respondents favoured Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to be the next MB, more than PKR deputy president Mohamad Azmin Ali and other candidates from Umno.

Last week, PR said Wan Azizah remains as the coalition’s sole candidate for the MB position despite PAS earlier voicing support towards Azmin Ali for the position.