Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has thrown the DAP’s support behind a woman as the new Selangor menteri besar.

After weeks of silence on the subject, Lim told reporters not to be distracted by other issues but to focus on whether a woman is qualified to be the menteri besar.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is to replace Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as the menteri besar, as announced by PKR last month.

“I am saying this as Penang chief minister and DAP secretary-general. We want this statement to come from all leaders,” Lim said.

“The impression given now is that Wan Azizah is disqualified because she is a woman.”

Lim reiterated that people should not be distracted by other issues that come in the way of PKR’s proposal to replace Khalid.

“Certain comments were made and addressed by other leaders.

“As far as I am concerned, I am only going to address the statement made by the PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim in my capacity as secretary-general or leader of DAP.

Lim said the main point to address is whether Wan Azizah can be accepted as menteri besar because she is a woman. That is a very important point raised by Anwar.

“Are we going to reject her candidature just because she is a woman?” he asked.

“Every political party, whether from Pakatan or BN, should clear this first hurdle,” he added.

Lim said the Selangor constitution does not state that a woman cannot be the menteri besar, instead it supports no gender discrimination.

He said the pros and cons of whether Wan Azizah could become the Selangor menteri besar could be discussed later.

“Let us state our stand that we are inclusive and support diversity. Don’t talk to me about the positions of some leaders on the matter,” he said.

“Let the president of each party state that he does not oppose, but that we all support and accept a woman who is qualified to be menteri bsear,” he added.

Opposition based on gender and 'nepotism'

Initially, when Wan Azizah was picked as the new Selangor menteri besar, several quarters from Umno and PAS rejected the idea based on her gender.

But opposition to Wan Azizah went beyond her gender, with criticisms on nepotism abounding because she is Anwar’s wife.

Khalid, on the other hand, is adamant to stay in his post and apparently has the support of some factions in PAS, Umno and the Selangor sultan.

PKR’s move to replace Khalid also appears to threaten the Pakatan alliance, which in 2008 helped it win five states, including Penang and Selangor.

Indeed, there are various issues to be ironed out, Lim said, for PAS and DAP, and these would be done when the DAP central executive committee meets on Aug 10.

Meanwhile, in a press statement, Subang PKR division chief Sivarasa Rasiah, Selayang division chief William Leong, Kelang division chief Yew Boon Lye and Sg Jarom branch chief David Cheong reminded Khalid that the party had decided on Wan Azizah as the new Selangor MB, and for him to respect that decision.

They announced their support for Wan Azizah and said she was the most qualified candidate to be the MB. They urged all PKR assemblypersons to put aside their differences and support the party leadership’s decision.