Why should PKR, DAP let Umno quarters dictate MB choice: Nothing unusual about submitting only Azizah's name - Anwar

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said there is nothing unusual about the PKR and DAP decision to submit only Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's name for the Selangor menteri besar post.
The opposition leader said PAS should abide by the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council’s decision to nominate only the PKR party chief.
"In the spirit of Pakatan, this is a Keadilan seat and decision. We need to respect that in the spirit of the coalition, and PAS did participate in the decision-making process in the Pakatan presidential council meeting on August 17," he told reporters on the sidelines of his defamation suit against Foreign Affairs Minister Anifah Aman at the Kuala Lumpur court complex today.
Anwar said there was nothing unusual about submitting only one name as Pakatan Rakyat had done the same thing last year.
He said only Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's name was submitted to the palace, despite the fact that the sultan had asked for four names to be submitted after the 2013 general election.
Anwar said PKR's right to name its choice for the Selangor menteri besar position had to be respected, adding that the party had never questioned the choice of PAS MB candidates for Kedah, Perak or Kelantan.
He said it was important to note that all issues had been duly considered and discussed at the August 17 meeting by the Pakatan presidential council, and had been approved.
"We are mindful of the fact that there were differences in decisions on two names and one name and about endorsing one name and acknowledging the other name.
"The position of Azmin has been brought up, but we need to respect his decision, that he is committed to the party decision and has already signed a statutory decision in support of Wan Azizah," Anwar said in reference to PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.
On August 17, the PR presidential council announced Dr Wan Azizah as the sole candidate to replace Khalid, who had been sacked from PKR on August 9 for defying party orders to step down.
But several PAS members ‎were unhappy with the decision and felt a second candidate was necessary in case the palace objected to Dr Wan Azizah’s candidacy.
The Islamist party had originally proposed that both Dr Wan Azizah and her deputy, Azmin Ali, be considered as candidates.
But Azmin was bound by his party's decision‎ to nominate only Dr Wan Azizah and had already signed a statutory declaration supporting her as menteri besar.

Anwar previously said a letter nominating only his wife for the position had been sent to the palace, and was signed by himself, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PAS deputy president Mohamed Sabu.
However, Khalid told reporters yesterday that neither the letter nor Dr Wan Azizah's candidacy was brought up during his audience with the sultan.
Khalid said the sultan wanted PAS, DAP and PKR leaders to each submit at least three names for his consideration.
Khalid yesterday submitted his resignation but was told to continue in office until his replacement was named.
Last night, PKR and DAP said they were standing by their decision to nominate only Dr Wan Azizah as the Selangor menteri besar candidate, despite the Selangor sultan's decree that each party in Pakatan Rakyat submit three names to him.
They said the sultan had last year accepted Khalid as the sole candidate for the MB’s post despite similarly requesting more than one nominee.
"Because of that, PKR and DAP uphold the sultan's decree and will present Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah's candidacy ‎for the sultan's consideration, in line with the convention practised by PR in 2013, as she has the support of at least 30 assemblymen," the two parties said in a joint statement today. –TMI