Two weeks after backing Anwar Ibrahim to fill the Selangor menteri besar’s post, lawyer-turned-politician Zaid Ibrahim is singing a different tune.

He now wants Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to be allowed to complete his tenure as menteri besar.

On Feb 2, writing in Bahasa Malaysia, Zaid had tweeted: ‘(PKR de facto leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) made the right decision to be MB. A tiger must face a lion, then the people will be comfortable.’

However, in his latest blog posting entitled ‘Let the man do his job’, Zaid said he believes Chinese voters will use the Kajang by-election on March 23 to send a more positive message of the need to move forward.

“They may not vote for MCA because they are still disappointed with issues of the past and how the party mishandled these for so long,” he wrote.

“A new leadership has taken over but the Chinese community is likely going to take a wait-and-see attitude to see whether president Liow Tiong Lai is able to bring the different factions to heel and rejuvenate the party. No, I believe the positive message the Chinese will send is not voting for Anwar.”

Zaid (right) had announced his own candidacy yesterday and will contest as an Independent for the state seat vacated by the PKR incumbent Lee Chin Cheh.

Explaining his current reasoning, he said the Chinese must know that Khalid has not plundered the state's wealth unlike past MBs who had treated Selangor as a personal treasure chest.

“Since he took over the running of the state, Khalid has reportedly managed to build its financial reserves to an impressive RM2.8 billion, which for many people only validates his credibility as MB.  

“Khalid was a corporate figure before he became involved in politics and his business acumen is much needed in the management of the richest and most developed state in the country.

“Some would argue that this also means Khalid is not the most nimble and cunning politician out there, but I imagine we have quite enough of those already.”         

Under Khalid's leadership, said Zaid, the administration of the state has been smooth “which is good for business”.

“There maybe some towkays who are exasperated with Khalid’s plodding ways, but it cannot be denied that generally, the Selangor economy has become healthier under his rule.

“Why switch out a current MB who is not only working with the people’s mandate, but who has shown clear evidence that his leadership has been good for the state?”

‘If it ain’t broke ...’

Chinese voters must know that if they vote for Anwar, it is all but certain that Khalid will be told to make way for him, Zaid noted.

“It’s true that Anwar has held high political office in the past and was once finance minister. But it doesn’t change the fact that there’s no need to fix something that isn’t broken.

“We should reward effective political leadership that produces tangible results, as Khalid’s tenure as MB has.”

Zaid further warned that calls for better and mature politicians to lead the the country would ring hollow “if we effectively sack those who are performing well, and all to try out some vague and as yet unexplained political strategy under a new replacement”.

“Selangor still needs Khalid as its MB. Let us respect the mandate that was given to him after the last election, and let the man do his job,” Zaid added.