Khalid’s successor picked but Anwar not saying who or when

Although Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has insisted on holding on as Selangor Menteri Besar till his term ends, his party boss Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) said today there will be a change “at the right time”.

The PKR de facto leader also said Khalid's successor has been decided but declined to reveal the identity.

It is widely known that the contenders for the position are PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Dr Wan Azizah is said to be the chosen one, but her husband, Anwar, refused to confirm it.

He said it will be discussed within Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

"We are not naming anyone yet. There has to be a consensus among PR members," he said.

When pressed further he confirmed that Khalid’s successor has been decided.

"Yes. There will be a smooth transition. Even in the PR secretariat, it was tabled and it seems to be the mood.

"We will do it nicely and amicably and negotiate this so we can move on," he told reporters at the Seberang Jaya Mosque in Penang, where he broke fast with local religious teachers.

It was reported that following pressure from its PR allies, PKR is giving Khalid the boot after Hari Raya Aidilfitri and party sources claimed Anwar has picked his wife to fill the post.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is Kajang assemblyman, will be the "stabiliser" for the PKR which has been dogged by controversies including its troubled internal party elections.

Anwar had reportedly met party leaders in Selangor last night on the matter.

Asked when the transition will take place, Anwar said coyly: "I don't know. (It will happen) at the right time," he said.

Anwar had recently said that the 'Kajang Move' – orchestrated to remove Khalid and install Anwar as menteri besar but did not see the desired outcome – was still in the cards.

The original plan was stymied after the Court of Appeal found Anwar guilty of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, making the PKR leader ineligible to contest the Kajang by-election.

Dr Wan Azizah ran instead and won the seat.

Although Anwar had declared that the Kajang Move is still on, Khalid said he will not leave until he completes his term as menteri besar.

There have been talks for months now that the DAP and PAS in Selangor also want Khalid replaced.

Khalid has been facing resistance from his own party and PR colleagues over his failure to consult them before inking the Langat 2 deal with the federal government to end water woes in Selangor. His critics claimed that the deal will lead to an increase in the water tariff.

His “stubbornness” to proceed with the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) highway project also earned him critics and opposition in Selangor, as many are skeptical that the proposed project will ease traffic jams.

But top leaders from PKR and the other PR parties had been coy, not confirming speculation and insisting the matter is up to the coalition and PKR to decide together.

However, it is known that PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang is not supportive of the Kajang Move, presenting an obstacle for those who want to get rid of Khalid.

It is an open secret that Khalid and Azmin, the other choice for the menteri besar’s post, do not see eye to eye.

However, Azmin is said to have stepped on some toes due to his sternness in election seat allocation negotiations, making him unpopular with some DAP and PAS leaders in the state.

Meanwhile, Anwar also expressed hope that Parliament will support the opposition's motion to debate the killing of Muslims in Palestine by the Israeli regime.

"We have voiced our support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's announcement that an emergency parliament sitting will convene on Wednesday to discuss the MH17 disaster.

"I support the call as opposition leader. (This is the time for) a consensus to express our regret, to condemn the act, and identify those responsible.

"At the same time, we hope the government will also support our motion on the killings in Palestine," Anwar added.

- TMI