Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s latest move to sack all six exco members (three from the DAP and three from PKR) is against the mandate of the people of Selangor.

We, Selangorians, have voted for Pakatan, which comprised of PAS, PKR and DAP. The exco members are in the state administration because of this same mandate given to Pakatan as a whole.

Even if PAS chooses to leave the coalition this Sunday, it cannot deny the fact that people had indeed voted for them overwhelmingly because of the coalition; therefore, PAS (if they still have any sense of self-respect) should honour the mandate given to Pakatan, instead of playing to the tune of Umno.

In Selangor, in particular, over 60 percent of the voters had voted against Umno and Barisan Nasional; therefore, for PAS to even now suggest Khalid form a unity government with Umno is simply out of order and unthinkable. It is against the wishes of the people of Selangor.

We have already seen how the ‘invisible hand’ of Umno and its cronies have been playing up issues one after another to try to destabilise the Pakatan government in Selangor before and after 2013. The water issue is a good example, followed by the Kidex Expressway (which will benefit a former Chief Justice), and the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department’s (Jais) raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia, another issue which remains unresolved till today.

Malaysians, in general, are also fed up with the dirty politics being played by various groups aligned to Barisan Nasional, and mainly with Umno. The other component parties in BN are just playing second fiddle roles in BN after 57 years in power.

This is one reason why in Selangor we have rejected Umno overwhelmingly. When I use the pronoun “we”, I mean also the Malay voters who are now more enlightened with the current development in Selangor. Umno should know that, with a figure like over 60 percent, it certainly cannot comprise only of the non-Malays.

PAS, in Paya Jeras, for example, won the constituency for the first time. This was not without the help of many non-PAS members who worked hard and get their friends to vote for the new state assemblyperson, Mohd Khairuddin Othman, despite the poor perception of PAS by non-Malays in the past due to Umno-linked media playing on a number of issues (Memali and the like).

In politics, anything is possible

I cannot imagine how PAS can seek to for a unity government with Umno, but then again, in politics, anything is possible. Even Hindraf was prepared to sign an agreement with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak before the 13th general election and the church in East Malaysia was prepared to be pacified with a 10-point agreement just before the Sarawak state election. Both groups have woken up, but it is too late.

Therefore, as an Independent menteri besar, Khalid should realise what the people of Selangor want. For him to sack all six Pakatan exco members with immediate effect, Khalid is going against the spirit of Pakatan (of which he is no longer a member) and against the mandate given by the people to Pakatan which, in principle, is still a mandate against Umno and Barisan Nasional.

Forming a unity government with Umno should not even cross Khalid’s mind despite him now being an Independent MB. It is simply not right, unless his intentions are to sell out Selangor. Sometimes, Khalid’s actions make me wonder if he is part of the Umno’s ‘Capture Selangor at all costs’ campaign announced by Najib.

Khalid has to be up-front with his action plan, so that the people understand what he is trying to achieve at the end of the day. Simply wanting to remain as MB, when he no longer enjoys the confidence of the people and his own exco, Khalid will not be able to hold the state together - definitely, not as a Lone Ranger or with his four Tontos. I hope Khalid will see the advice the people of Selangor are now giving him.

Whatever it is, sanity must prevail at the end of the day if Malaysia wants to see good economic growth. Whatever happens in Selangor will eventually affect the nation as a whole.

STEPHEN NG is a chemist by training. He dealt with printing ink, paint and emulsion polymer for 15 years before becoming a freelance writer.