PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli has urged Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to respect the people's wishes not to have fresh state elections. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, August 24, 2014.
As Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim prepares for his meeting with the Selangor Sultan tomorrow, a senior PKR leader has urged the Menteri Besar to respect the people's wishes and not have snap polls to resolve the current impasse over who should lead the state.
PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said the two-term MB should adhere to the state's constitution and accept that MB hopeful Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has the support of 30 Selangor assembly members in the 56-seat assembly.
"I want to remind Khalid with what is left of his integrity and good name, to manage the transition well by respecting the wishes of the people. Do not dissolve the assembly.
"If he wants to retire, retire in a good way," he said in replying to points raised by members at the PKR congress in Shah Alam today.
Khalid is expected to have an audience with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah tomorrow on the MB crisis and the Ruler is expected to make a decision on the matter.
PKR believes there is a high chance that the Selangor assembly will be dissolved to make way for a state-wide election soon.
PR leaders and political analysts have said that snap polls would be bruising to the coalition which now has 43 of the 56 seats in the state assembly. The Barisan Nasional (BN) holds 12 seats while Khalid is an independent after being sacked from PKR on August 9 for defying party orders to make way for Dr Wan Azizah.
Rafizi hoped the issue would be resolved well, with Dr Wan Azizah appointed as the next Menteri Besar soon so that the focus could be on the state's administration and its people.
"Our biggest duty is to fulfil our promises to the people," he said.
The architect of the "Kajang move" which kickstarted the crisis, conceded that many criticisms had been hurled against him but he accepted all of them as he believed the move was the right step to take.
"I have no regrets despite all the slander and insults thrown at me," he said, adding that this is a matter of principle and integrity which cannot be compromised.
He acknowledged the impasse had tested the party but he said it had also tested PKR's members on various levels.
This include the ability to make difficult decisions and to stand one's ground despite intense pressure as well as test one's loyalty to the party.
It has also reminded members of the difficult journey the party had gone through since it was founded 15 years ago.
He also ticked off members who blamed de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the party's troubles, saying that they were free to leave the party.
"Please find another party, blaming him is akin to being in cahoots with Umno and BN," he said, adding that while criticisms were allowed, it should be constructive.
He also said that those who accused the party of nepotism should contest against the party's leaders instead of making such allegations.
"If not, don't raise the issue of nepotism as they (the leaders) are democratically elected."
In likening the party to a "big family together on a warship", he said they were currently going through choppy waters.
The choppy waters, the Pandan MP said, were the voices and sentiments of the people and this could change at any time. Failure to anticipate it could sink the ship and everyone on board.
"Our functions on this warship are clear, to face and shoot the enemy who shoot at us every day, we are not a cruise ship," he added, and reminded every member to follow the orders of one commander.
- TMI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.