Khalid’s bluff called that he still commanded majority support in Selangor State Assembly after expulsion from PKR last Saturday

By Lim Kit Siang

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim should have gracefully and honourably resigned as Selangor Mentri Besar when he was sacked as a member of PKR last Saturday (August 9), as his appointment as Selangor MB stemmed from the trust and mandate given to him by PKR and the Pakatan Rakyat coalition after the 13th General Elections last May, and once this mandate was withdrawn by PKR by his expulsion from the party, his continued tenure as Selangor Mentri Besar became completely untenable.

Article 53(6) of the Selangor Constitution is very clear as it states: “If the Mentri Besar ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the Legislative Assembly, then, unless at his request His Highness dissolves the Legislative Assembly, he shall tender the resignation of the State Executive Council.”

The only way for Khalid to continue as Selangor Mentri Besar under these circumstances – although it would have been a dishonourable and unethical act – was for him to establish that he still commanded the support of the majority in the State Assembly despite his expulsion from PKR and to make such a representation to the Sultan of Selangor.

But Khalid misled the Sultan of Selangor in the royal audience on Monday that he still commanded the majority in the State Assembly when clearly this was not the case – and Khalid dared not undertake any verification from the Selangor State Assembly members before meeting the Sultan of Selangor, knowing fully well that he would not be able to demonstrate that he enjoyed the majority support among the State Assembly members.

As a result, Khalid had continued as Selangor Mentri Besar under false pretences after the false representation to the Sultan of Selangor on August 11 when he had an audience with the Sultan.

The public meeting and declaration of 30 Selangor State Assembly representatives – 13 PKR, 15 DAP and 2 PAS – yesterday that they have lost confidence in Khalid and support Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah as Mentri Besar had called the bluff of Khalid’s pretence and false representation that he still commanded the majority in the Selangor State Assembly.

Khalid should not compound his reckless and outrageous disregard for the fundamental democratic and constitutional principle that a Mentri Besar who have lost the support of the majority in the State Assembly should tender his resignation to the Sultan, as it is evident there is a clear majority in the Selangor State Assembly for the appointment of a new Mentri Besar to replace Khalid.

There is only one honourable way out if Khalid believes that he still commands support of the majority in the Selangor State Assembly, which is to immediately convene an emergency Selangor State Assembly which could be held in a matter of days for a confidence vote to be taken – and not to resort to the dishonourable, unethical, unprincipled and undemocratic course of clinging to office for as long as possible until November before facing a confidence vote.

Khalid is confronted with the stark choice of salvaging whatever is left of his personal and political honour by either resigning gracefully or convening an emergency Selangor State Assembly for a confidence vote to be taken OR leaving behind a disreputable political legacy completely bereft of honour, ethics or principle.