Speaker raps 'consistently inconsistent' Hasan

Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim has lambasted state PAS commissioner Hasan Ali for cooking up a 'blatant lie'.

Hasan had claimed that Teng had described Klang district officer Bakhtiar Hussin as being "ineffective and unfit" for the post.

Responded an incensed Teng: "It is a blatant lie. He is now lying to cover up his first lie. He has been consistently inconsistent in all his statements.”

He told reporters in Shah Alam today that Hasan had initially asked for a revamp of the Select Committee of Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat).

"He then said former judges should be appointed as panel members... now he denies it. With a person of this character, I would like to repeat the old saying, 'With a friend like him, I do not need enemies'," said Teng, who chairs Selcat.

Selcat is holding a public inquiry into how Barisan Nasional (BN) state representatives used up RM500,000 of the annual state allocations within two months before the general election in March last year.

During the inquiry, several district officers including Bakhtiar had admitted that they rubber-stamped approvals for state allocations during the period in question to help BN for political purposes.

Teng, who is also the Sungai Pinang assemblyperson, expressed concern that the likes of Hasan would bring down the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

"I strongly believe that if they persist in this manner, Pakatan in Selangor will not be defeated by Barisan Nasional but by PAS itself in the next general election," he said.

Teng said that, if Hasan (left) is sincere about improving Selcat, he should have called him instead of taking his remarks to the media.

“He said he received complaints (from the district officers) that they were bullied by Selcat. But why (didn’t) he inform us about it?”

He further said a closed-door inquiry to protect the integrity of the officers, as suggested by Hasan, will not work out.

“Integrity is about honesty. How can you protect honesty at a closed-door meeting? I urge Hasan to stop playing political games by supporting the civil servants,” said Teng.

Hasan, he said, is in no position to attack Selcat’s procedures as these are based on a code of ethics and a code of conduct.

“The procedures are in accordance with the Standing Orders...we did not create any new rules...so it has nothing to do with procedures.”

‘Nobody died at Selcat meeting’

Teng also put Hasan on the spot, questioned why the latter has jumped to the defence of civil servants.

He should have made an equal strong statement against the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Comission (MACC) for the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock, said Teng.

“When it comes to Teoh’s case, where was Hasan? Teoh was interrogated by MACC and he died right after that. Nobody died in Selcat’s meeting. (Hasan) didn’t say a word about MACC (but has) accused Selcat of not being reputable.”

Asked whether Hasan should leave the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, Teng said he would not like to see this happen.

“I only give him the opportunity to repent, so please repent,” said

Teng, adding that he will remain professional with Hasan in the future.

“I just hope he can make a strong statement like this on the ongoing talks between Umno Youth and PAS Youth.

“He should know that we do not feel comfortable with that. Imagine that you are married and still want to date someone else. That is not acceptable in Islam.”

Meeting tonight

Speaking to reporters at a different event, Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said all state exco members and backbenchers will be called for a meeting tonight to clear the air.

He said the ‘Chatham House’ rule will apply and that any misunderstanding among the leaders would be sorted out at the meeting.

Khalid brushed off any suggestion that Hasan should be suspended from his post.

The calls to suspend him are not important, they are merely interfering in our affairs," said Abdul Khalid, adding that he has no plan to hold a private meeting with Hasan.