Anwar urges Selangor PR to go on offensive

Anwar called the Selangor state secretary impasse a ‘small issue’. — Picture by Choo Choy May

SHAH ALAM, Jan 10 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called on Pakatan Rakyat (PR) last night to “attack” Barisan Nasional (BN) in Selangor, saying the time for defensive action was over.

The opposition leader called the Selangor state secretary impasse — which has occupied the attention of Selangor PR leaders for more than two weeks now — a “small issue” that could be overcome as PR had a “mandate” in the state.

The PKR de facto leader said PR could hit back at BN and ensure that Selangor remains in the hands of the federal opposition by focusing on welfare work and exemplary administration.

“Let’s not pay heed (to Umno’s attacks). We will attack and we will step up our service,” he told a rally of more than 8,000 PAS supporters at Stadium Malawati here last night.

“Selangor must be strong... When we are strong the battlefield will no longer (just) be Selangor. The battlefield will stretch to Negri Sembilan and Malacca, the borders of Johor, to Tenang, the Federal Territory... and Selangor must lead (the fight).”

Anwar told supporters that it was wrong to think Umno was strong as it had “run out of capital” and was now resorting to what he claimed were desperate tactics to keep power.

He also claimed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s meeting with BN MPs last week was a sign that Umno was now in the midst of a “catastrophe”.

“This is the first time the prime minister has had to meet with MPs for 15 minutes each,” he said.

The country’s richest state has been in turmoil for the past week since the Chief Secretary to the Government named Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi to the post to replace outgoing State Secretary Datuk Ramli Mahmud.

The PR state government has rejected Khusrin’s appointment and insists it has the right to name its own person for the job.

The row over Khusrin’s appointment has escalated to the point where the PKR-led state government is now seeking to amend the state constitution to allow it to regain the pre-1993 authority to appoint the state secretary and other senior civil servants.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim also said that there would be no oath-taking ceremony between newly-appointed Khusrin and himself, adding that the latter will not be allowed to attend any executive council or state economic council meetings.

Umno has seized on the turmoil in the state by attacking the Selangor PR administration for allegedly going against the Sultan’s wishes.

The attacks from Umno appeared to be focused on winning over support from conservative Malays.