KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — It was Azmin Ali who blocked Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s bid to be the next Selangor mentri besar during the leadership crisis two months ago, a PKR leader said, accusing the former of coercing five lawmakers to withdraw their support for the party president.
Former PKR supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin alleged today that Dr Wan Azizah lost her opportunity after the five Selangor PKR lawmakers signed separate statutory declarations (SDs) supporting Azmin to become head of the country’s wealthiest state instead.
Back during the height of the Selangor leadership crisis, 30 Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) assemblymen signed SDs in support of Dr Wan Azizah as MB.
“With the five SDs signed by these state assemblymen they withdrew their support for Dr Wan Azizah.
“That means her support was no longer solid,” he told reporters at a news conference.
Badrul Hisham, popularly known was Chegubard has been suspended by PKR indefinitely for criticising the party’s elections process.
Since then, he has been on an anti-Azmin campaign, repeatedly accusing the PKR deputy president of utilising underhanded tactics to retain his party position.
“Azmin Ali is power hungry. One of these SDs was signed by PKR vice-president Dr Xavier Jeyakumar,” said Badrul Hisham, who showed reporters a copy of the alleged SD by the former state executive councillor.
Xavier has previously denied this and had said he would lodge a police report on the matter.
“When I searched for the said police report there was none..I am not sure whether the SD is right or wrong but when there is denial it becomea a question,” Badrul Hisham said.
He said he would be making the names of the other four state assemblymen soon, and would be reporting the matter to the PKR leadership.
“But the party has to be ready to take action,” the former PKR Rembau chief stated.
Dr Wan Azizah, originally touted as PR’s choice candidate to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as MB, did not make the cut after the Selangor palace officially endorsed Azmin to head Selangor.
This September, Azmin took over the Selangor Mentri Besar post from his former political rival Khalid, who was forced out before serving out his five-year term.
