New Selangor MB to be sworn in on Tuesday

BATU PAHAT: If all goes well, a new mentri besar of Selangor will be sworn in to replace Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim on Tuesday as it is learnt that arrangements are being made for the swearing-in ceremony to be held at Istana Alam Shah in Klang at 10am.
The Selangor palace is not disclosing whom Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has selected as the new MB.
Although the Pakatan Rakyat parties have submitted nominations to the palace, the Ruler has absolute discretion to pick any of the 56 assemblymen for the post.
PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was nominated by DAP and PKR, while PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had submitted three names in line with the Sultan's decree.
It is not known if DAP and PKR submitted additional names following a reprimand by the Sultan, who had from the start asked for more than two names to be submitted by each Pakatan party.
According to Bernama, however, the fore-runners for the post are Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman Mohamad Azmin Ali and Cempaka assemblyman Iskandar Abdul Samad, who is Selangor PAS commissioner.
The Sultan's private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, when contacted had declined to confirm.
Even amidst the shroud of secrecy around the name of the appointee, conflicting stands were stated by different PAS leaders today.
Its deputy president Mohamad Sabu said the party will oppose the decision of the Selangor palace if it is not Wan Azizah as decided by all the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
"We stick to our decision that this (mentri besar post) belongs to PKR," he said.
"We will oppose if any PAS assemblyman is appointed, because if the DAP and PKR disagree to the appointment, the government will be short-lived, he told reporters at the PAS 60th muktamar here.
However, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said whoever is chosen by the palace should be accepted by all.
The decision must be accepted by everyone as the Sultan has the sole prerogative and discretionary power on this decision, he said, adding however that he was unaware of the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday and that the party is still in the dark as to the candidate chosen.
The political crisis in Selangor came in the wake of the "Kajang Move", part of the move to make PR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as new MB.
However, the plan was dashed when the Court of Appeal found him guilty of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari.
After Anwar's wife Wan Azizah contested and won the seat, the PKR began moves against Abdul Khalid with a view to make her the new MB.