Selangor slipping away from Pakatan Rakyat

Things are moving fast and furious in the Selangor menteri besar crisis with Pakatan Rakyat appearing to be losing its grip on the country's richest state.

The day was marked by attacks and counter attacks from both Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and detractors from his former allies, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP.

Six state executive council (exco) members from both parties, who had refused to leave his administrative team despite being in favour of his removal from the MB post, had arrogantly stated that they would ignore him except when attending the weekly exco meeting.

But Abdul Khalid saved the best for last, dropping a bombshell just before 7 pm indicating that he had sought the Selangor Sultan's consent to remove immediately the six exco members who were no longer on the same page with him.

Following this development, political analysts believed that Pakatan Rakyat, as a loose tripartite coalition, had virtually lost power to rule Selangor given that DAP and PKR excos are most likely to be removed from Abdul Khalid's administration.

The eventual absence of PKR and DAP excos would leave only the four PAS excos in the state administrative line-up - the minimum number of excos needed to run the state according to the state's constitution.

The political drama unfolding in Selangor is unprecedented in the country's history in that a partyless and independent 'wakil rakyat' (elected representative) is the chief executive of a state.

It appeared to be business as usual when Abdul Khalid arrived for work at the Selangor Secretariat Building at 9.30 am today, but the high drama of yesterday, which saw Abdul Khalid securing consent from the Sultan to continue as MB following his sacking from PKR on Saturday, was replicated today

He was reportedly supposed to spend the day meeting with all the 10 state excos to know whether they would remain in his administration or otherwise Abdul Khalid encountered no problem with the four PAS excos who stated that they would follow their party's directive to stay on board.

It must have been music to the embattled MB's ears when the Barisan Nasional, which has 12 wakil rakyat in the state assembly, pledged its unconditional and sincere backing to Abdul Khalid, who is also the Port Klang assemblyman and Bandar Tun Razak Member of Parliament.

As at 9 pm, the drama continued at PKR's headquarters in Petaling Jaya as DAP and PKR leaders huddled to chart their next course of action in light of Abdul Khalid's brazen moves that could possibly "checkmate" the two parties in the tussle for power in Selangor.

Meanwhile, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, the private secretary to the Sultan of Selangor, said in a statement that the ruler viewed Abdul Khalid's sacking from PKR as internal party matter which would not affect his position as state assemblyman and menteri besar.

He also said the Sultan did not consent to a request for an audience with PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail given that Abdul Khalid had already met him to explain about the status of the Selangor menteri besar.