KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim today issued a legal missive demanding that PKR cease any discussions of his position as Selangor mentri besar, just hours ahead of a party central leadership council meeting.

The letter, prepared by law firm Bon Advocates and delivered to party disciplinary board chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong, argues that the council has not sufficiently responded to queries by the mentri besar about the charges levied against him.

“Our client in fact notes a litany of breaches of natural justice thus far giving rise to perception of conflict of interest and bias against our client,” a copy of the letter seen by  Malay Mail Online showed.

Media reports Friday quoted Dr Tan as saying that Khalid’s future in the party will be determined at today’s meeting, since the disciplinary board had already received the embattled leader’s reply to a show-cause letter issued on Tuesday

The show-cause asked Khalid to explain his refusal to relinquish his post as mentri besar as it went against the central leadership council’s July 21 decision to replace him with party President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Khalid was directed to explain his out-of-court settlement with Bank Islam over loans he had taken, his role and decisions in Selangor’s water utility restructuring, the MB’s new allowance, the hike in business licence fees in the state and the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).

The party also insisted that Khalid must respond by August 9, one day ahead of a crucial Pakatan Rakyat meeting to decide on his removal.

In a written response dated August 6, Khalid stated that the show-cause letter was “defective” as it lacked specifics on how he had violated the party constitution.

Khalid dismissed the disciplinary board’s request that he attend a hearing yesterday, saying in a second letter  that the board has no purview over how the Selangor mentri besar administers the state.

Khalid today repeated his request for clarity from the board on the exact details of the charges levied against him, and how those charges have any link to the five issues that he has been required to explain.

He also demanded that the board indicate the specific provisions of the party constitution that he is accused of violating, and whether he can be accompanied by legal counsel or state officers during the hearing.

“Until our client receives a satisfactory reply, no hearing can proceed,” the letter said.

The troubles over Khalid’s position has put PKR and DAP on a collision course with PAS.

The Islamist party backs the mentri besar even though Pakatan Rakyat’s presidential council  reached an earlier consensus on his removal.

The dispute is threatening to rend apart the opposition coalition which groups the three parties. It will have to wait until PAS’ central committee meets on August 17 before it can discuss the issue further.