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Selangor’s elusive menteri besar
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Key Highlights
Selangor’s elusive menteri besar
Plane crash kills exco, nine others
Anwar’s dilemmas and options
Selangor’s elusive menteri besar
Selangor is still without a menteri besar. One of the reasons for the hold-up is state ruler Sultan Shahrafuddin Idris Shah undergoing a medical procedure abroad.
There are also speculations as to whether the incumbent, Aminudin Shari, would be retained.
Malaysiakini reported that there were conflicting claims on the number of names submitted to the palace. Pakatan Harapan insiders said “three” but a source close to the prime minister said it was just one name.
According to sources, Seri Setia assemblyperson Fahmi Ngah is also on the list. The 48-year-old aeronautical engineer is believed to be aligned with Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim.
However, the sources claimed that submitting three names was a way to honour the ruler’s wish and Amirudin is expected to continue helming the state.
Amirudin succeeded his former mentor-turned-nemesis Azmin Ali in 2018. The Aug 12 contest was his first as menteri besar.
Selangor, which is considered to be Harapan’s crown jewel, witnessed the Perikatan Nasional wave sweeping 22 seats out of the 56 contested.
Amirudin has remained tight-lipped on the menteri besar issue following his audience with the ruler and directed questions pertaining to the list of names to Anwar.
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Plane crash kills exco, nine others
The plane crash in Shah Alam, which left 10 dead, claimed the life of Pahang state executive councillor Johari Harun. Two of those who perished were motorists.
Following the incident, Pahang state speaker Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin and Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman were among the first to post condolence messages on Facebook.
According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, the light aircraft veered off from its original path three minutes after receiving clearance from the Subang Airport air traffic control tower at 2.48pm.
Eight people were on board the Beechcraft Model 390 when it crashed two minutes prior to landing at Subang Airport.
The ill-fated aircraft is believed to have clipped a motorcycle and a car when it crashed on the road.
Loke said that apart from the police, the Air Accident Investigation Bureau is also probing the crash and is locating the aircraft’s flight data recorder.
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Anwar’s dilemmas and options
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is struggling to win the hearts and minds of Malay voters, has “twin dilemmas - ideological and political”.
This is according to Khairy Jamaluddin, who shared his thoughts on the state election, revealing that the Perikatan Nasional wave is still strong.
Noting that Anwar’s base had cautioned him not to pander to the “Malay right” and focus on the economy, reforms, and championing multiculturalism instead, the former Umno Youth chief said the Pakatan Harapan leader could be tempted to “play it both ways”.
“But with such a strong rebuke from Malay voters yet again, Anwar could be tempted to play it both ways: continue with ethnocentric overtures and programmes, and at the same time, hope the economy improves for ordinary Malaysians,” he added.
On the political front, Khairy said Anwar must make a decision about his strategic partner Umno and its “deeply unpopular” president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The former health minister pointed out that another option is for the prime minister to reach out to PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin.
“While this option might as yet be unthinkable, stranger things have happened in Malaysian politics before, most recently Harapan’s unlikely pairing with Umno,” he added.
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Views that matter
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Other news that matter
Electoral watchdog wants the EC to probe its polling clerks over the reports of identity theft in the state election. It also calls on the Home Ministry to launch an investigation.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers is investigating the alleged leak of a document related to the charges against former premier Najib Abdul Razak and former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has denied the government is not keeping to its promise to fund and repair dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
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