Selangor Mentri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim tonight officially announced that he was running for the highly-coveted PKR No 2 post.

khalid announces PKR no 2 "I, Khalid Ibrahim offer myself to contest the deputy president post in the upcoming party polls," he said.

He made the announcement to a crowd of about 200 supporters and representatives from 17 divisions - almost all of the PKR divisions in the state - at the MB official residence in Shah Alam tonight.

Pre-empting questions, Khalid promptly explained his decision to enter the race as a move to rescue the party from in-fighting.

His decision had added resonance since not too long ago he had relinquished his post as Selangor PKR chairperson, saying that politics was something he was reticent to be involved in as he wanted to concentrate of making Pakatan Selangor a success.

Khalid noted that the contest for PKR No 2 has received much negative press, not only from the media but also from within the party itself.

"I saw what can only be factional politics and personal attacks (in the nominations). This development is not good for the party," he said.

"As a Pakatan Rakyat state menteri besar and party leader I am going to put a stop to this," said Khalid.

Khalid outlined five key principles as his campaign manifesto, that is:

  • Loyalty to the reformasi struggle
  • Continuing the agenda for change
  • Merakyatkan Ekonomi (returning the economy to the rakyat)
  • Reject divide and rule politics
  • Restore party unity

These five principles, he said, will help to end the factional in-fighting in the party and actualise the dream of Pakatan Rakyat claiming Putrajaya.

Four wise men to guide

In order to better gauge how his participation in the deputy presidency race will affect party unity, and to establish if he is indeed the one to solve the party's woes, Khalid has appointed a four-member select committee to deliberate on the issue.

NONE The committee that Khalid ( left ) candidly dubbed "the four wise men" comprises Kelana Jaya chief Syed Shahrir, Batu chief Tian Chua, Irene Fernandez and PKR religious affairs bureau chief Mohd Nur Manuty.

All four are founding members of the party and Irene Fernandez is also the former Wanita deputy head.

"These people are veterans of the party. I hope you will heed their wisdom. I will listen and abide with their decision," said Khalid.

He also announced Syed Shahrir as his campaign manager.

At the briefing, Khalid also regaled his audience with a short promotional video for his candidacy, created by activist and artist Hishammuddin Rais and his team, who was also present to show their support.

When asked by reporters at the press conference following his announcement, if he is going back on his word to not contest the post if incumbent president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail were to run for deputy president, Khalid brushed it aside.

"I am not going back on my word. We don't know yet who is going to contest for the post. There is still time before Oct 16 when candidates have to fill in the candidacy forms."

"I am sure the committee will advise me on that, if the question arises," said Khalid.

PKR temperatures rising

Earlier in the run up to the polls Khalid had been elusive on contesting for a top leadership post.

However the Selangor MB this week made a slip and revealed that he had the party No 2 in mind.

"I just don't want a rift after the polls are over, so I ask that I join (the contest) so there is some balance in the competition," said Khalid at a press conference on Tuesday.

Khalid's candidacy hots up the contest, that until now has been touted to be a head to head between heavyweights Zaid Ibrahim and Azmin Ali.

His entry into the ring promises to turn the heat up on the battle, with party sources already buzzing about rumours that there is already a campaign amongst senior party leaders to snuff him out of the race.