KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Statewide polls could be Umno’s best bet in Selangor, Utusan Malaysia said today, amid talk of the party’s supposed intention to protect Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim from the planned ouster by his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) colleagues.

Writing in his column “Cuit” today, Utusan’s assistant chief editor Datuk Zaini Hassan warned Umno of Khalid’s “unpredictable” ways, and pointed to how the embattled leader had even survived the “Kajang Move”, which was purportedly engineered by his own party to remove him in March.

Zaini noted that the current Khalid ouster has widened the rift between PAS and its PR colleagues in PKR and DAP, and that in the event of a no-confidence vote in the state assembly, Umno could offer moral support to the mentri besar.

“But, remember MB Khalid is an unpredictable person,” he wrote.

“Perhaps, dissolving the state assembly is the choice... if this imbroglio cannot be resolved. Whether or not BN (Barisan Nasional) wins or PR wins, Selangor will get a new MB,” he added.

But in the event of snap elections, Zaini urged Umno to field only new faces, saying this would be a “true test” for the party’s ability to recapture the prized state.

Selangor was under Barisan Nasional (BN) rule for decades until it was wrested by PR in the tumultuous 2008 general election.

“Choose the right candidates — someone like Jokowi — to take back the state, old faces, don’t interfere,” Zaini said, referring to the newly elected Indonesian president Joko Widodo.

Umno, which controls 12 state seats out of 56, has expressed its intention to milk the ongoing leadership crisis to its benefit, and is eyeing the possibility of wresting Selangor back from PR should snap polls be called.

Selangor opposition leader and Sungai Burong assemblymen Datuk Shamsudin Lias told Malay Mail Online previously that the national coalition is closely monitoring the situation and is preparing to counter any public fallout from PR’s moves to oust Khalid.

The federal opposition coalition has been embroiled in a publicly played-out internal party tussle within PKR, where de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim intends to unseat Khalid and replace him with his wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Khalid has refused to relinquish the post, however, although his colleagues in PKR, DAP and several PAS leaders have expressed support for his removal.

The embattled leader is now relying largely on PAS, and possibly, support from Umno, to stay put as mentri besar until his term expires.

Khalid has earned solid backing from PAS’ conservative faction, which is backed by the party’s president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and spiritual advisor Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat

Today, Zaini pointed out that it would not be an easy task to replace the Selangor MB, as the approval of the sultan would be needed, among other things.

“His Majesty the Sultan is backing [Khalid]. His Majesty does not want his state to be ruled by ridiculous politicians.

“In fact, His Majesty, has had enough with how Selangor is being governed — following too much of DAP’s directive, which had demanded equality in this and that.

“Even now, when a piece of land is to be awarded to a mosque — to be fair — a piece of land also has to be awarded to a temple and a church. It was never like this before,” he said, lamenting on the equal treatment to the non-Muslims.

He pointed out that Khalid could seek the Sultan’s consent to dissolve the state assembly and call for snap polls.

There is also the possibility that the royal family and Khalid would do all they can to stop Dr Wan Azizah from taking over his post, Zaini added.

“But whatever it is, we must hold on to MB Khalid’s own words — he told the Sultan that he will continue to rule Selangor well until his term expires.

“Secondly, Khalid will not stop the assembly from debating a no-confidence motion against him. Thirdly, he said he will not be affected by criticisms and calls for his resignation,” the columnist wrote.

“This means MB Khalid is ready to thwart any effort to topple him before he sees out his second term,” he said.