IPOH, July 15 — The post of special adviser to the Perak mentri besar should go to PKR to maintain parity in the state government, Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail said today.

The Srikandi chief said she would not mind if she had been passed over for the post, so long as one of her party colleagues was appointed.

“If they decide not to give me the post, they should still give it to PKR. There needs to be a balance in the Perak Pakatan Harapan government because we built it together.

“Now, PKR has only two representatives in the exco line-up, so I don’t see anything wrong with us getting the post,” she told reporters after hosting a Hari Raya celebration at her family home here.

PKR’s two representatives in the state executive council are Tan Kar Hing and Abdul Yunus Jamhari.

DAP has five representatives and Amanah has three. Mentri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu is the sole PPBM representative, but his special advisor Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin is also from the Malay party. 

Siti Aishah said the heart of the matter was about the policy.

“I don’t mind if I don’t get the post. My heart is clear. But to me, this isn’t an issue of an individual, it is one of policy,” she said.

Siti Aishah was recently catapulted into the spotlight when she was reportedly chosen as one of two PH nominees for the state assembly Speaker post.

However, she later backed out, resulting in the eventual appointment of DAP’s Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, fuelling rumours that she had been pressured to do so.

After withdrawing, Siti Aishah voiced her frustration on social media, saying the culture of monopolising power must not be practised in PH.

Today, she said her previous statements on the matter was not intended to create enemies, but was instead meant to create an open Pakatan Harapan leadership.

She added that she had never felt bullied or pressured by any PH leaders, and had made her decision based on her own principles.

“If my statements are seen to be hostile, this will never end. I hoped for openness and I wanted to see the issue handled in a better way,” she said.

“I want this issue to be over. This is not an issue that involves the people, but it is one of political immaturity. It should be solved in the political realm.

On a separate issue, Siti Aishah also voiced her full support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to contest the PKR presidency.

She said this was in accordance with the wishes of the grassroots, but also paid tribute to the contributions of current president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“Dr Wan Azizah spent decades building the party so we could come out victorious in GE14,” she said.

“Now, our message is clear: we want him to lead. We hope he will be the prime minister-in-waiting, so it would be better for him to take the post as president of PKR,” she said.