KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Selangor would be better managed by PAS rather than its allies in Pakatan Rakyat, Malay language weekender Mingguan Malaysia said today amid the continuing tussle over who will lead the country’s richest state.

Commenting on the leadership debacle in its Awang Selamat column, the Umno-owned newspaper said PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang was right to reject PKR President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the candidate of choice, claiming that Hadi has grassroots support for his reasoning that she would be merely a front for PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“There are many other better candidates. There is nothing wrong with a PAS candidate becoming mentri besar. The party has the right and merit to have a chance in the context of Selangor politics,” said the column which represents the paper’s collective editorial voice.

Awang Selamat said the continued recalcitrance by PKR and DAP leaders is an affront to the Sultan of Selangor, who explicitly requested for more than one name to be proposed as replacement for embattled Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

The column claimed that the public is fully behind the Sultan in rejecting the actions of the two parties that have gone too far in insulting the royal institution.

The situation was made worse by an alleged move by so-called “Anwarinas” — PAS leaders who are seen to be pro-Anwar — to form a new organisation called Pertubuhan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (Pasma) to challenge the party’s powerful Ulama wing which is aligned with Hadi.

“PAS deputy President Mohamad Sabu even questioned the Syura Council’s decision to propose a PAS state assemblyman as a mentri besar candidate.

“This is the worst split in the history of PAS, and praise should be heaped on Anwar for this success. DAP is the Pakatan component that gains the most profit and satisfaction,” read the column.

Awang Selamat, however, warned that Hadi’s opponents in the coalition would be mistaken if they were to brush him aside especially after the PAS leader told disgruntled party members to leave if they could not accept the top leadership’s decision.

“Awang believes this is just the beginning. It would be a mistake for Anwar to make light of Hadi. Wait and see.”