EXCLUSIVE As controversy rages on over what appears to be a ‘coup’ to oust him, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim doesn’t appear to be rattled.
Instead, Abdul Khalid said that although he would prefer to complete two terms as MB, whether or not he leaves the post before that will be up to him to decide.
He explained that if he decides he has done enough as Selangor MB, then he will not fight any push for him to resign.
“If I feel it is necessary (I will step aside), but (not) if I don't feel it to be necessary. If I cannot do reforms, then I will stop because it means I'm not working anymore. If I can do the reforms, I will do them,” a relaxed Khalid said in an interview with Malaysiakini today.
“I will not fight it if I assess that I have done enough in fighting for reform.”
For now, he said, he does not see the necessity for his resignation and that there is still much work to do.
However, loyally toeing the party line over PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's candidacy in the impending Kajang by-election, the MB said there will be no bad blood if Anwar eventually tells him to pack his bags.
Asked if this would be a betrayal, he said: “No, the one who makes the decision is me.
“Stepping aside means you (as MB) cannot do (the job). I will accept that. Unless you want it fight it, but no, you don't. You pack your bags and then ... you have a lot of books to write.”
Having withstood pressure from within the party for five years, Abdul Khalid downplayed the latest escalation of events as “nothing abnormal”.
Group decision
He said that although it may appear that the whole party is against him, it is actually only “three or four” individuals who oppose him.
This was why he chose to announce Anwar's candidacy at a press conference this morning.
“You must show group decision. If you don't, then how will you get the confidence of the people? You must!
“There are differences but when it comes down to it, you have to show group decision. And group decision means complying with that group decision,” he said.
Asked if he was forced into agreeing with the decision that Anwar should stand as a candidate in Kajang, he firmly said “No.”
“I have no power to stop (Anwar from contesting), no power to choose.
You may want to ask this awkward question: Why don't you stop Anwar from contesting because he may take your place as MB later?
“No. In the first place, as I see it, he can enter Kajang. Taking the MB’s post is a later question of whether it is necessary or not. At the moment, it is not necessary.”
He also said that the Kajang by-election will be part of a “programme” to bring unity to the warring factions within the party.
“Well, there are internal disputes but you amalgamate these things into a programme. That is the way I see they plan things,” he said.
An MB for two terms
Abdul Khalid said that “volatility” within politics is to be expected, much more than when he was in the corporate sector. However, having expected such uncertainty, he is able to reduce stress and focus on more important things.
This includes succession planning as he settles into what he said was always intended to be his last term as MB.
Subscribing to the American tradition of two-term in office, Abdul Khalid said he is now putting things in place for a “team” of successors to continue with a legacy of a clean government.
This morning Anwar was announced as the candidate for the impending Kajang by-election, which follows the resignation of PKR's Kajang assemblyperson Lee Chin Cheh ( right ).
PKR Youth has already said this will pave the path for Anwar to replace Abdul Khalid as MB.
The official line from party leaders is that Anwar is contesting Kajang to set the momentum for Pakatan before heading to the Sarawak polls and then the 14th general election, which can be called as early as 2016.
Lee's resignation came following widening fissures between the MB and Selangor PKR chief Azmin Ali, prompting critics to slam PKR for triggering a by-election to solve internal conflict.
Interview conducted by Steven Gan, Fathi Aris Omar, Radzi Razak and Aidila Razak.
THE KHALID IBRAHIM INTERVIEW
Part 1: Abdul Khalid: If I resign, it'll be my choice
Part 2: MB: There may be a royal twist to the Selangor saga
