As Pakatan Rakyat nears the halfway point in administering the Selangor government, exco Ronnie Liu is still struggling with a less-than-stellar report card.

Several sources have claimed that Pakatan backbenchers in the state assembly are pressuring Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim to reshuffle the exco line-up, or at least give Liu a different portfolio.

Liu is in charge of state housing and local government, and it is widely speculated that he is losing grip over the heads of local authorities.

Malaysiakini understands that the backbenchers have been raising their concerns privately since last year, but seeing no movement, several of them ganged up to speak bluntly at a meeting early last month among Khalid and almost all assemblypersons at his official residence.

"Most of the assemblypersons have voiced their concerns, but I think the MB does not want to rock the boat," said a Pakatan backbencher who declined to be named.

Unlike most other portfolios with the excos, he said, the local government was one that would actually help win elections, with the results from action taken being instantaneous.

"In our case, Ronnie keeps on interfering (with the local authority).

Spanner in works situation

"I think that exco members (Teresa Kok and Ean Yong Hian Wah) have taken great pains to convince the civil servants, who are traditionally fearful of DAP, and they have succeeded somewhat.

"But Liu just confirms their worst fears. He is unprofessional and cannot even talk properly to the local authority heads and officers," the assemblyperson added.

It is also learnt that Liu's high-profile reversal of the local council decisions have left many of the YDPs red-faced, sparking friction between the local authorities and the state government.

However, several other backbenchers rose to Liu's defence at the meeting, saying that things were not as bad as they appeared.

"I don't think there actually was anyone calling anyone to step down. This news is very surprising to me," said another assemblyperson who was at the meeting.

"I think there were just some people calling for a reshuffle, but they did not target Liu.

"But his name is quite popular when it comes to complaints," the assemblyperson added, with a chuckle.

Another also said that while it was 'easy' to target Liu, there were  other exco members as well who have had to weather their share of complaints.

"When it comes to the extent of wanting Liu removed, I don't think that it is the collective decision of the PR backbenchers," he said.

MB unlikely to go for reshuffle

Whatever is said about Liu, it is unlikely that the menteri besar has plans to reshuffle the exco.

It is understood that component party leaders in Pakatan have met to discuss the issue, with DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng having no plan for Liu to be replaced.

When it comes to deciding the exco line-up in Pakatan-led state governments, it is the norm for the party leaders to hand over a list of candidates to their respective MBs for endorsement.

"Unless there is major pressure from the heads of parties, I don't think that moving Liu to another portfolio is going to happen," said another Selangor lawmaker.

He said there should have been an independent evaluation process for all the excos in the first place.

Of all the portfolios, the one holding the local authorities may have the highest exposure to corruption as it involves awarding contracts.

"So, there should be an exco member with a clean background seen as wanting to improve efficiency and integrity, as well as cutting down on corruption," he added.

Liu has been embroiled in several controversies with local councils as well as with the state government, notably the ban on the 1Malaysia billboard which Khalid eventually reversed .

He had also been publicly at loggerheads with the Subang Jaya Municipal Council over the decision to ban Muslims from working in alcohol-serving outlets, which he later reversed.