KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Former PAS man Datuk Hasan Mohamed Ali today expressed suspicions that two former party colleagues were coerced or induced to declare themselves against Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, but failed to adduce evidence to support his claim.

The president of Malay rights group Jalur Tiga Malaysia (Jati) made the allegation during a press conference called to praise the Selangor Sultan and PAS for their actions in the ongoing Selangor mentri besar crisis.

"I can't be absolutely sure, but to me at this point, I have doubts that the remarks were voluntary or there were other negotiations among them,” Hasan said.

This afternoon, two PAS Selangor assemblymen broke ranks with the party to side with PKR and DAP counterparts to back Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's bid to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as mentri besar.

The unexpected development effectively removes Khalid's claim that he still commanded majority support of the state's lawmakers, which was premised on PAS's silence and Umno's previously declared backing.

The Islamist party is only due to decide its position on August 17, and said it was not aware of the two representatives' decision to support Dr Wan Azizah.

PKR sacked Khalid last week after he refused to follow the party's directive for him to yield his position to Dr Wan Azizah.