S'gor MB blasted by his own ally

Despite the code of silence enforced over what transpired at the recent two-day PKR leadership camp in Port Dickson last week, party sources hinted another attempt at ousting Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim was mounted during the meet.

While it was no surprise that dissatisfaction against Khalid ( right ) continues to rear its ugly head, spearheaded by an MP well-known for being at odds with him, another drama unfolded with open criticism from an assemblyperson who was a staunch ally of the besieged Khalid

“I love the MB, but I love Selangor more,” the assemblyperson reportedly said at the meet,  in his speech criticising the Selangor administration.

He also reportedly questioned why the executive council line-up in Selangor remains unchanged, while other Pakatan-controlled states like Kedah and Penang have made significant changes to their leadership.

Some PKR members have equated the assemblyperson’s actions to Brutus, who turned against Caesar as dramatised by William Shakespeare’s lines, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.”

They are also speculating why the once silent assemblyperson is suddenly so vocal.

One rumour is that he is asserting himself as a political manouevre, and realigning his allegiances following PKR vice-president Azmin Ali’s ( left ) appointment as state party chief.

Others suggested possible pressure from a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation involving the said assemblyperson.

“I have known Khalid since 2006, but it is my duty to raise issues about Selangor, as happened in Hulu Selangor,” the assemblyperson said when contacted.

However, he refused to elaborate further, saying that it is an internal matter at a closed discussion.

“I must follow party discipline. Some things you can speak inside, but you cannot comment outside to the media,” he added.

He also denied he had any agenda other than that of discharging his duties.

“There is no issue here,” he said.

                                

Party vice-president R Sivarasa confirmed that those who attended the camp have been slapped with a gag order over the retreat’s proceedings, claiming it was a matter of course.

“But it is all party internal matters anyway,” said the Subang MP.

Anwar the peacemaker

The incident follows on the heels of two previous alleged coup attempts against Khalid, which saw de facto PKR head Anwar Ibrahim putting his foot down to stem severe criticism against Khalid.            

The first was at the party’s congress in Kota Bharu this May.

Khalid faced a second round of bashing at the party’s leadership retreat in Shah Alam last month which had Anwar mediating once more, resulting in Azmin Ali replacing Khalid as state PKR chief.

This time, Anwar reportedly came again to the defence of the beleaguered PKR leader by enforcing the gag order. He also warned that no one, including himself, is indispensable to the party.

Anwar, who is also the Selangor economic adviser, has been playing peacemaker between the various factions in PKR but some question his firmness in laying the matter to rest.

Sivarasa explained that the camp followed up on the discussions raised during the earlier Shah Alam retreat, largely to discuss the strategy for the upcoming general election and efforts to gain grassroots support.

“It was a successful leadership camp, which managed to build camaraderie and solidarity between the 110 or so MPs and ADUNs (state assemblypersons),” he said.