Sultan met Azmin and two PAS reps over MB post, reports daily

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah reportedly met with three assemblymen to gauge their suitability as menteri besar. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 20, 2014.

Selangor PKR chief Azmin Ali and two PAS assemblymen had audiences with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah earlier this week for the ruler to assess their suitability as the state's menteri besar, The Star reported today.

The daily said the two PAS representatives were Iskandar Samad, who is the Cempaka assemblyman, and Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, who is the representative for Sijangkang.

The report said the three met with the sultan separately as part of the "final steps" to determine their suitability in helming the country's richest state.

Quoting sources, The Star report said the three were told that the audience with the ruler was like an "interview to enable the sultan to evaluate them and have a better idea of their capabilities and personalities".

Others present at the interview were state secretary Datuk Mohamed Khusrin Munawi, state legal adviser Datuk Nik Suhaimi Nik Sulaiman and two members of the Selangor Royal Council, according to the report.

The sources said each audience lasted more than an hour and that the "interview panel" was very civil and cordial.

"The assemblymen were advised to be on standby and told that they would be informed accordingly. It is likely that the name of the next menteri besar will be known by Monday."

The report also said Azmin had personally met with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday to let the opposition leader know of his audience with the sultan to prevent any misunderstanding.

"It is learnt that Anwar took the news positively and agreed that it was 'time to move on' contrary to claims that PKR and DAP would push for a snap state election if Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was not chosen," The Star reported, referring to the PKR president who had been the sole nominee from the two parties for the state's top job.

The Malaysian Insider had published a Bernama report stating that the Selangor Palace would announce who the new menteri besar is by Monday at the latest.

"However, it is still up to the pleasure of the Sultan of Selangor," Sultan of Selangor's private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani was quoted as saying.

Azmin and Iskandar are the two candidates widely tipped for the post.

Earlier this month, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali confirmed that his president Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang had had sent three names – two from PKR and one from PAS, as candidates for the Selangor menteri besar.

The PAS assemblyman was said to be Iskandar while the PKR names are Dr Idris Ahmad (Ijok) and Dr Yaakub Sapari (Kota Anggerik).

PKR and DAP had insisted that Dr Wan Azizah be the only nominee for the post. This earned them a royal reprimand from the sultan for failing to heed his decree for more than two names for the menteri besar position.

- TMI