Voters Must Reject Opposition Candidate To Maintain Status Quo In Selangor - Political Observer

By: Mohd Yusof Shaari

KAJANG, March 22 (Bernama) -- To many, the outcome of the Kajang State Assembly by-election tomorrow may not mean anything, but not to Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Regarded as a well-liked Menteri Besar in the context of the development of Selangor, the Port Klang State Assemblyman must surely be restless because a positive result for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) can drag him down from the leadership of the state.

Although the political strategy via the 'Kajang Step' to hoist Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Menteri Besar was fully scuppered, the situation is not safe yet for Abdul Khalid because his political enemies surely had something up their sleeves when naming Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the candidate to replace Anwar.

Dr Amini Amir Abdullah from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), feels the mission to oust Abdul Khalid would not stop with the annihilation of the Kajang Step, but on the other hand it would become more complex.

He said Anwar and his team, especially Bukit Antarabangsa State Assemblyman Azmin Ali, whose hostilities with Abdul Khalid is public knowledge, would not have nominated Dr Wan Azizah just to replace her husband.

Confident that Abdul Khalid knows he was being eliminated in a subtle way, the Human Ecology Faculty lecturer was however, puzzled as to why the Menteri Besar feels his position was secure.

Apart from trying to portray himself as a firm administrator and leader who is prepared to face any eventualities, Abdul Khalid still needs to state his stand firmly when tackling the plot to topple him because of the expectation of the people, he said.

Amini Amir said if Abdul Khalid opts to accept the prevailing circumstances as a mark of respect for Anwar who brought him into the political arena, the successful businessman should also respect the stand of PAS and DAP who held him in high esteem to nominate him for the post of Menteri Besar.

"We also wonder why Abdul Khalid keeps mum despite being aware of the plot to oust him? I admit Abdul Khalid is a resolute man, but the hope of the people in him cannot be overlooked," he told Bernama when contacted here, today.

Based on record, it is not like Abdul Khalid had not ignored Anwar when making a decision, and the agreement to restructure the water industry in Selangor with the federal government recently showed the Jeram-born can actually reject the sentiment of being beholden for the sake of the people under his administration.

Amini Amir said Abdul Khalid must delve into the anger of the people outside of the context of politics, because changes to the post of Menteri Besar can disrupt the smooth planning and administration of the state government and in fact, a worse scenario can take place, such as jostling for posts.

He said the 39,278 qualified voters in the by-election tomorrow must show their solidarity and confidence in the administration of Abdul Khalid by rejecting the candidate who has a potential of triggering the situation.

"The voters must be smart, don't be trapped by the trick of the opposition pact. They must be brave in rejecting the candidate who has the potential of becoming a puppet of Anwar and probably made the Menteri Besar of Selangor," he said.

He said, if it happens, the administration of the state will become chaotic because Dr Wan Azizah is seen as somebody who is not capable of handling the heavy responsibility of being Menteri Besar.

The contest for the Kajang state seat that fell vacant following the resignation of incumbent assemblymen Lee Chin Cheh of PKR on Jan 27, will see Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the president of PKR, facing Barisan Nasional candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

-- BERNAMA