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Monday, September 1, 2014

Anwar grilled over Selangor crisis: PAS & Sultan now the top national topics

Anwar grilled over S'gor crisis: PAS & Sultan now the top national topics
KUALA LUMPUR - At a dialogue and meet the people session a day before Merdeka day on Sunday, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim found himself inundated by questions that related to the Selangor crisis and whether the Sultan would accept PKR president Wan Azizah as the next Mentri Besar or chief minister.
The choice of Selangor MB is much watched as the popular Azizah would make history if endorsed by the Sultan, becoming Malaysia's first-ever woman chief minister. Adding spice is the complex political web weaved by PAS, which has shocked the nation with its sudden U-turns on key decisions.
"The consensus is to appoint the head of the party. Azizah is the PKR president and former head of the Opposition. The question is not if she is my wife or if she is qualified or if she is a woman but the consensus (among the 3 Pakatan Rakyat parties) is that the Kelantan state government will be run by PAS, Kedah PAS, Penang DAP, Selangor PKR," Anwar told a packed conference hall at the Centre for Reform Democracy and Social Initiative over the weekend.
"On Aug 17, although PAS had a resolution for 2 names, the top leaders of PAS, PKR and DAP agreed on Azizah. And she has already obtained the statutory declarations from 30 state assemblymen. So for us, it's on. But there are whispers the Sultan doesn't want her. Who's saying this? I didn't hear the Sultan saying it. The Sultan didn't tell Azizah this either."
Rosmah vs Azizah
The 67-year-old Anwar also had the enthusiastic audience in stitches when he took a swipe at Prime Minister Najib Razak for accusing him of nepotism by nominating Azizah for the top Selangor job.
"I was shocked when Najib raised the issue of 'wife'. Azizah is the PKR president. I won't mention Rosmah," said Anwar, referring to the controversial wife of the Malaysian PM who has often been accused of dominating her less strong-willed husband.
National attention: All eyes on Selangor and its Sultan
In a sign of how gripping the Selangor MB crisis has become, overtaking the top spot in the national conversation, the audience of mostly ordinary Malaysians fired off detailed and informed questions at Anwar.
They zoomed in on why he has insisted on nominating only one name for the post versus the Sultan's request for at least 2.
They were also curious about the legal aspects and what would happen if the Sultan rejected Azizah despite her holding the majority support of the state assembly.
Majority in PAS are with Pakatan
Anwar also defended PAS, which has drawn tremendous flak over its fickle stance in the issue and has even been accused of conspiring with Umno to form a unity government, which would effectively overthrow the Pakatan state administration.
He insisted the official stance of PAS was to remain with Pakatan and pointed out PAS' contribution to the coalition and to his own family during the late 1990s, when he had had been jailed by Umno on trumped-up sodomy charges.
Anwar dismissed speculation PAS leaders held a grudge against him, saying that during his lecture tours in PAS heartland towns and villages, he was always introduced as the prime minister should Pakatan win the general election, which they narrowly lost to BN in 2013.
Umno running scared?
Anwar blamed Umno for stirring up trouble in the Selangor debacle, lambasting them for pushing forward his trial and jailing him for 5 years in order to prevent him for becoming the MB.
Anwar's PKR party had launched the 'Kajang Move' to get him elected as the Kajang state assemblyman, which would allow him to replace Khalid Ibrahim as MB.
However, Anwar's conviction forced him to withdraw from the by-election and instead Azizah contested against BN's Chew Mei Fun, winning by a thumping majority.
Malaysia Chronicle

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