Anwar told not to confuse people over MB appointment

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SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Palace yesterday dismissed a statement by PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that submitting one name to the rulers for the appointment of a menteri besar has been the practice since the country’s independence in 1957.

Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, the private secretary to the Sultan of Selangor, said in a statement yesterday that the information provided by Anwar was wrong and could confuse the people.

He explained that when the Barisan Nasional (BN) held power in Selangor, a list of people eligible for the post of menteri besar was presented to the sultan at an audience for his consent.

The sultan would choose one of the candidates to be appointed to the post, he said.

Mohamad Munir said that in 2008, the opposition pact of PKR, DAP and PAS formed the state government and the sultan decreed that the heads of the parties discuss the possible candidates for menteri besar and several names were proposed.

The sultan, through his private secretary, wrote to the party leaders of the Pakatan pact requesting them to submit two names for the post and they unanimously proposed Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, he said.

Mohamad Munir said that as Abdul Khalid met the criteria and conditions stipulated in the Selangor Constitution, the sultan consented to his appointment as the menteri besar.

He said the situation differed a little following the general election in 2013 when the Pakatan won the majority of seats in the state assembly.

Nevertheless, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had stated during the election campaign that Abdul Khalid would not necessarily be retained as the menteri besar.

“As such, the sultan through his private secretary wrote to the heads of the parties in the Pakatan pact requesting them to propose four names for the post of menteri besar.

“As Abdul Khalid had been the menteri besar and had maintained a good relationship with the palace and the people of Selangor, the sultan consented to his reappointment as the menteri besar,” he said.

Mohamad Munir emphasised that the policy of the palace was not to reveal the names of or any information pertaining to the candidates for menteri besar and the process, but the situation had warranted that the palace issue a statement to make the clarification.

As such, he again advised Anwar not to issue statements that could confuse the people and tarnish the image of the sultan if he did not have the facts. — Bernama