I was not the sole candidate, says Khalid

SHAH ALAM: Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (pix) refuted a claim by Pakatan Rakyat that only his name was nominated for the MB post in 2013.
“It is not true that only my name was nominated by Pakatan Rakyat for the position (and submitted) to the Sultan in 2013,” he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting at the State Secretariat building here yesterday.
He said it has been a norm to nominate more than one name for the MB position in Selangor.
He added that Pakatan had submitted more than one name to the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, in 2008 and 2013 for the top post.
Khalid clarified this when asked to comment on a joint statement by PKR and DAP on Tuesday that Pakatan had submitted only his name for the position in 2013.
“The story is not properly reported (to the media). There were other names nominated by PKR and PAS in 2008 and 2013,” he said.
“There is no one name... there were more than one name submitted from time to time to the palace in separate letters.”
Pending accepting Khalid’s resignation submitted on Tuesday, Sultan Sharafuddin decreed that each party from Pakatan submit at least two names for the MB post.
However, PKR and DAP said in a statement that they will only submit one name to the palace – that of PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The statement, signed by PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution and DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua, said that the sole nomination was made in line with the convention practised in the past.
“The Sultan had ordered Pakatan Rakyat to nominate more than one name for the mentri besar post back in 2013. Based on the decree, the Pakatan parties have nominated one name – Khalid – for consideration ... the Sultan had approved and accepted the nomination,” the statement said.
Khalid said it is up to the palace to decide on whether the sole nomination will be accepted or not.
He also said the issue of dissolving the State Legislative Assembly did not arise even if the Sultan is not satisfied with the nominations from Pakatan.
Despite having submitted his resignation, the state administration was running as usual with the remaining four executive council members from PAS having attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, exco member Iskandar Abdul Samad, who is also PAS state commissioner, said Selangor PAS has not decided on the nomination for the position. “It will be decided by the party’s central committee. So far, it has not named any candidate,” he said.