In what appears to be a clear snub for PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, an English daily today quotes a Selangor palace source as saying the sultan does not want the new menteri besar to be a “remote-controlled” person.

According to The Star, the source said the palace requirement for the office holder to be one who has the interest of the rakyat and serves the people, not one under the control of someone else.

“The MB must not only be chosen by the majority of the state assembly, but must be able to put the interest of the rakyat first and can run the state. The Selangor ruler wants someone who can take care of the needs of the people and develop the state to the highest level,” the source is quoted as saying.

He said under the Selangor constitution, in Articles 51 (1), 53 (2) (a), (4) and 55 (2) (a), the sultan is given absolute discretionary power to appoint someone with the majority support of legislature as the menteri besar of the state.

“The person must be able to work with all parties, including his own executive councillors, as well as have a good relationship with the palace,” the source said, adding that Pakatan Rakyat should not drag its internal party problems and disrupt the state administration.

Although the report did not name anyone, it is believed to be referring to the PKR president.

Previously, it was reported the palace had snubbed giving an audience to Wan Azizah ( below ), who is PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's wife, when she sought an audience after outgoing Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had met Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Till today she has not been able to present her credentials to the Selangor palace along with the 30 statutory declarations, to prove that she has the support of the majority of assemblyperson. Selangor has 56 assemblypersons.

The source added that the menteri besar need not be Selangor born, pointing out that former menteri besar Abdul Jamil Rais was born in Perak, but lived in Selangor most of his life.

Concern over anti-palace remarks

The source also told The Star that the palace is concerned, hurt and offended about anti-palace remarks made by certain politicians.

Previously, the ruler had expressed dissatisfaction with Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad ( right ), who questioned the sultan's power in running the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council.

“The palace has been quiet, but people keep on making anti-palace remarks.

“The remarks are offensive. These people should read the state constitution and understand the palace’s convention, protocol and tradition before making any comments on the situation,” the source said.

The ruler, he said, was not concerned about the present scenario as the crisis was created by Khalid's own previous party (the PKR) before his expulsion.

“The state government is still fully functioning. Khalid is still the menteri besar and His Royal Highness will take his time to make the best decision for the rakyat.

“There is no need to panic as the current government is not just a mere caretaker government; it is a full government. It is just a matter of changing a menteri besar from Pakatan,” the daily reported the source as saying.

‘No need for Azizah to meet sultan’

The report in the daily also said it was normal for the palace to ask for more than one name.

Quoting the source close to the palace, it said the previous sultan, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, had requested up to four names from Umno when BN ruled the state.

In the current situation, the palace has sent separate letters to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, PKR president Wan Azizah and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

The source explained to the daily that in 2008 and 2013, the palace requested two names from Pakatan, but did not make the request known.

“Pakatan leaders have to sort out their differences and have consultations among all three parties before making a decision. They must remember Pakatan is not a coalition like BN.

“They have to consult one another and more importantly, they cannot hurry the palace when they themselves cannot get their act together,” he said.

The source added it was not necessary for Wan Azizah to meet the sultan at this point.

“The question of an audience has become academic because Khalid has announced his resignation. It is not necessary for Wan Azizah to meet the sultan to convey the party’s decision because it is an internal matter,” he said.

Selangor crisis today

9.17am:

PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli lauds PKR’s Seri Setia rep Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad for declining PAS Youth’s proposal of Nik Nazmi as MB, and urges PKR reps other than Wan Azizah to do so

 11.41am: Selangor PAS denies an Utusan Malaysia report that it had proposed four of its assemblypersons to the PAS central leadership as MB nominees

11.42am: The Star , quoting palace sources, says the sultan is not keen on Wan Azizah as she would be a ‘ remote controlled ’ by others

4.29pm: PKR’s Sri Muda rep Shuhaimi Shafie flays Rafizi for questioning PKR Selangor assemblyperson’s loyalty