PAS’ decision to not name candidates and just let the Selangor sultan decide who will replace incumbent Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as menteri besar was due to the PAS central committee’s inability to reach consensus.

Central committee member Khalid Samad (below) said that this led to PAS taking a “roundabout” over the issue, and not a “U-turn” as claimed by observers.

“This is not an U-turn, but a roundabout. I cannot explain the rationale behind the decision... because I also do not understand the rationale,” he quipped.

According to the Shah Alam MP, the central committee meeting today was “very long and quite heated” due to the reservations by differing quarters.

“Originally we were (discussing about) giving the letter of support to two candidates, and then there is suggestion to name just one candidate, because the second candidate, (PKR deputy president) Azmin Ali has already given way…

“Some wanted to put in one name, some wanted to put in two names…so in the end we don't give names in order to settle the differences,” he said.

He said most PAS central leaders attended the meeting including party president Abdul Hadi Awang, deputy president Mohamad Sabu, vice presidents Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, Husam Musa and Salahuddin Ayub and secretary-general Mustafa Ali.

Reading from a statement after the meeting this afternoon, Mustafa said PAS "agreed to leave it to the Selangor sultan's wisdom and consent in determining the Selangor menteri besar position."

This was perceived to be a U-turn from its decision on Aug 17 to support both Wan Azizah and Azmin.  

30 should be enough

Khalid Samad, however, hopes the fact that PKR’s sole replacement MB nominee Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has support from 30 assemblypersons would be sufficient for her to be appointed MB.

30 assemblypersons, including two PAS reps, had signed statutory declarations (SDs) to pledge support for Wan Azizah (left) as MB.

“To me, (PAS’ decision) is quite unfortunate. Hopefully the 30 SDs is sufficient to see Wan Azizah through this and get appointed as MB.

“Because in (the) Perak (MB crisis) exactly the same thing happened.

"There was a very small and slim majority. In our case, there is a majority of four, 30 to 26. So that should be sufficient,” he said.

PAS has 15 reps, PKR 13, DAP 15 and BN 12 reps in the Selangor legislative assembly.

BN has declared support for the incumbent, while the remaining 12 PAS assemblypersons has thus far said no to signing a statutory declaration to support Wan Azizah.

The incumbent MB is scheduled to have an audience with the sultan tomorrow.    

Selangor crisis today

11.50am: Fearing snap polls, DAP reveals that it discussed the possibility of a Pakatan break up in an emergency meeting last night

2.39pm: Selangor sultan has an audience with Khalid

3.33pm: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s office denies that he had offered PKR deputy president Azmin Ali the MB post if Azmin backs a PAS-Umno unity government.

4.42pm: Palace accepts Khalid resignation as MB, pending appointment of a replacement. The ruler also asks for more than two MB nominees each from each Pakatan party.

5.57pm: Selangor PAS says sultan’s decree for multiple candidates in in line with Abdul Hadi’s view.  

10.29pm: PKR and DAP say they will only submit Wan Azizah’s name as in 2013, the palace sought four names and was given only one.