Former Selangor menteri besar Mohd Khir Toyo has come out swinging and lashing in reaction to his successor Khalid Ibrahim's unflattering remarks on Khir’s administration from 2001-2008.

NONE Describing Khalid as a “senile”, “emotional” and a “crazy” old man, Khir ( right ) cautioned Khalid against blowing his own trumpet with his eyes closed to the achievements of the BN-led state government before him.

“Don’t be like the hen who’s laid a single egg but clucks loudly throughout the kampung,” snapped Khir yesterday in a posting on his blog.

The Selangor opposition leader was reacting to a Malaysiakini interview with Khalid in which the former corporate man gave a dim portrayal of Khir’s character, track record and administration.

“He does seem to me to reflect the Malay proverb, sambil menyelam minum air (opportunistic). From an investment banker's point of view, he cannot sign a guarantee because his word may not be his bond," Khalid said of Khir.

khalid ibrahim pc 120809 02 The Umno man, Khalid ( left ) said further, did “not deserve to be an MB” and “won't even reach senior manager level” at Guthrie, where Khalid was once CEO.

Responding to this, Khir in his posting entitled " Menteri besar merapu seumpama orang nyanyuk " (the menteri besar is babbling like a senile person) said Khalid was as the Malay proverb lembu punya susu, sapi dapat nama (the cow produces the milk, but the calf gets the credit).   

“I feel sorry for Khalid, who has gotten on in his years but is still made to face the burdens and stresses of being a menteri besar, whether from administrative work or from the affairs of his party.

“The appearance of Anwar (Ibrahim) as (Selangor economic) advisor and Mohd Azmin Ali as Selangor PKR chief has added to these burdens. Maybe this is the reason he has become overly emotional and cannot argue intelligently to defend his administration,” said Khir.

'Top this'

Enumerating his achievements, Khir recounted how he left the Selangor administration in “a much better state” than when he took over as MB; almost all state companies recorded higher profits than in previous years, he said, and there was improved efficiency of local authorities and the state land and mining department.

He also cited the establishment of the Science Park 2 technology hub in Sepang, which he said had brought in billions of ringgit in investments, and asked, “Under whose administration did Selangor develop quickly from 2001-2007?”

Citing the recognition given to Selangor by the National Productivity Corporation (NPC) for the state’s competitiveness during his time, Khir also challenged Khalid to use the same model of measurement as used by NPC and compare the achievements of the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government with his.

NONE Reacting just as viciously to Khalid’s defence of the state government against Khir’s accusations that the current Selangor government was allowing illegal sand-mining to occur, Khir dared Khalid to show proof that such wrongdoings occurred during his watch.

“I challenge him to show evidence that the government under my leadership carried out illegal sand-mining. What is clear today is that it is (state-owned) Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) that is robbing the people by being the brokers of the sand-mining industry.

“The sand is mined on state land, but the royalties received by the land department is only RM3 per ton, the same as sand royalty from private land. KSSB takes another RM4 without doing anything more than drafting the agreements and looking for contractors.

“The government as the land owners get RM3 per metric ton of sand extracted, whereas KSSB as the broker gets RM4. Isn’t this robbing the people’s money?”

NONE Khir also mocked Khalid’s announcement of projects worth RM70 billion, adding that the actual value of investments that have come into the state - RM6 billion - pale in comparison.

He also said only a “crazy” MB would announce a RM50 billion economic stimulus package for Selangor when the federal government had announced a RM67 billion stimulus for the entire country.

“Where is the state government’s RM50 billion stimulus package? There’s not even one of anything. What we know is that after three years, the state government has incurred a budget deficit.”

Khir also cited the lack of results from the RM10 billion development package for the Klang river. “Until now, nothing can be seen. This is what can be said of the greatness of an exemplary corporate leader.”

“Why don’t we ask what Khalid has done since becoming Selangor menteri besar other than giving free water using money from the previous government?” Khir added.

“Khalid should not be proud of his past as Guthrie CEO, as everybody knows why Khalid was sidelined by Guthrie.

“Why is it that until today, nobody has heard of Khalid’s achievements in the corporate world other than his tenure in PNB and Guthrie?”