SHAH ALAM, Sept 22 — Selangor’s civil servants must carry on their good work and not be affected by the on-going “dramatic” mentri besar crisis, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said today.
The outgoing Selangor MB called on civil servants to be “patient” and to let “politicians to war” with one another.
“Let the dramatic actors continue acting, just carry on with your work.
“Their drama will become a joke (eventually),” he told over 300 civil servants at his farewell ceremony here at the state secretariat building.
Khalid cited the recent minting of Selangor’s joint water restructuring agreement as proof of his administration’s success, and that the new MB must manage the country’s richest state well.
“This is the challenge for the next leadership. The Selangor people will punish them if they do not carry out their election manifesto pledges,” he added.
Selangor state secretary Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi hailed Khalid as an MB who had brought true transformation and success to the state.
“I have been in Selangor for almost 30 years, under several mentri besars.
“Tan Sri Khalid has showed us that success can be attained together,” he said, to loud cheers from the attendees.
Placards adorned with the words “we love Tan Sri” and “the best mentri besar” flooded the lobby of the state secretariat building.
Rumours are rife that Azmin Ali would be sworn in tomorrow, replacing current Khalid Ibrahim.
PKR and the DAP had nominated just PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as MB, while PAS sent in an undisclosed list of candidates, which reportedly did not include Dr Wan Azizah.
Malay daily Berita Harian reported today that Azmin is expected to be sworn in as the new Selangor mentri besar tomorrow.
Citing unnamed sources, the paper reported that the Selangor palace had initially picked PAS’ Iskandar Samad for the post but the assemblyman turned down the offer, allegedly due to health reasons.
“The palace will only announce Azmin’s appointment tomorrow (today) through a press statement or a press conference with His Royal Highness’ consent,” the anonymous source was quoted as saying.
“Then, the appointment of six new state executive councillors will be done on Friday, while the four executive councillors from PAS will be retained,” the source added.
English-language daily The Star reported Saturday that Azmin, as well as PAS state executive councillors Iskandar and Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, were interviewed by the Selangor palace separately last week on their potential to be the next mentri besar.
Iskandar, who is Selangor PAS commissioner and Cempaka assemblyman, and Dr Ahmad Yunus, PAS’s Sijangkang assemblyman, were two of the three individuals named by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in the party’s list of potential mentri besar candidates to the Sultan.
Khalid told Malay Mail Online today that Dr Wan Azizah was not among those interviewed by the Selangor Sultan, despite having obtained majority support of the 56-seat state legislative assembly through statutory declarations from 30 assemblymen.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in a statement yesterday that Dr Wan Azizah remained the party’s sole MB nominee.
