The PAS leader said initially there were questions on why Khalid needed to be removed from office but his recent actions have left even those who voted for him in the PKR party elections and in past general elections in disbelief.
"He
is not loyal to Pakatan Rakyat and the fact that (Deputy Prime Minister
Muhyiddin Yassin) is willing to give him unconditional support makes
things even more fishy."So, even though they (PKR and DAP) are unhappy and try to pressure PAS to make up its mind earlier, I believe the recent developments will assist us in making the right decision," Khalid Samad told a press conference today.
He apologised for the fact that the PAS central working committee (CWC) would only meet on Aug 17 on the crisis but urged them to "draw wisdom from the English saying, 'give them enough rope to hang themselves'."
PAS is now tentatively backing Khalid as menteri besar pending its CWC meeting on Sunday.
PKR and DAP have both proposed that PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail replaces Khalid.
Khalid Samad, who is a also a CWC member, said PAS wanted time to ensure that people are clear on the reasons why Khalid needed to be sacked first, before replacing him.
He said the party had wanted to avoid a situation where a popular leader is forced out from his office.
Asked to comment on the PAS state executive councillors presence at the state exco meeting despite calls from DAP and PKR to boycott it, Khalid Samad said it was to maintain the continuity of the government.
He said PAS is of the view that the present government should be maintained despite its crippled state, and withdrawing its support for Khalid before a successor is agreed upon could lead to a state election because it leaves nobody with majority support in the state assembly.
"So what we are doing is we are waiting until the Aug 17 meeting, after which, hopefully, we can have a consensus.
"When we have a consensus, we can take the necessary action to show that Khalid does not have majority support, and someone else does.
"Just to show that he does not have majority support - full stop - is not good enough," Khalid Samad said.On a related matter, he said earlier statements by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and the party's ulama council backing Khalid was prior to PKR handing over the dossier of the menteri besar's supposedly "questionable" deals.
It was also before Khalid was sacked from PKR, he said, and before the menteri besar showed hostility towards Pakatan by sacking his former colleagues from their exco positions.
"The scenario has changed, so when the scenario has changed, I am very sure that the statements made supporting Khalid would also have changed," he added.
Selangor crisis today
10am: PAS exco members say they will resign if Umno assemblypersons are appointed onto the exco.
10.19am: Sacked exco members from PKR and DAP arrive at work as usual.
10.37am: Law expert Abdul Aziz Bari contradicts another expert Gurdial Singh Nijar, by saying that the sacking of 5 exco members is lawful.
10.48am: PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu urges party to side with Pakatan against MB Khalid.
12.27pm: PAS calls on PKR to name a new MB candidate, after the palace rejects Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's request for an audience.
12.46pm: Sacked exco members are told to vacate their offices
1.48pm: MB Khalid says exco member from PKR, Rodziah Ismail, who is overseas, is not sacked as she may still support MB Khalid.
3.33pm: MB Khalid says he is not appointing new exco members from Umno, for now.
4pm: PAS MP Khalid Samad says while waiting for PAS' decision, the MB has 'enough rope to hang himself'.
5pm: MB issues legal letter to PKR secretary-general demanding apology for the 'corruption dossier'.
11.36pm: Rodziah says she does not support Khalid and will resign from the exco.
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