By Selangor Journal Team
SHAH ALAM, Aug 17 — There is a consensus among Selangor Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) leaders that Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari should be retained as the state menteri besar.
This is despite two other names having been submitted to the Selangor palace for consideration, Sinar Harian quoted the state Amanah chairman Izham Hashim, as saying.
“Three names have been submitted, but we have unanimously agreed on one (Amirudin). But because the palace asked for three names, we have to give three,” he was reported to have said..
“In our letter to the palace, we mentioned that by consensus, we support Amirudin as the menteri besar.”
Izham, who served in the executive council last term, also dismissed suggestions that there are Selangor Keadilan leaders involved in secret discussions pertaining to the appointment of the head of the state administration, following the recent conclusion of the election.
Instead, he said these discussions have already been concluded previously involving the Selangor Harapan leadership, adding that there have not been any changes to the agreement to support Amirudin for the top post.
On the two other names that were proposed to the Selangor palace, Izham said he was not in a position to reveal them.
Several Keadilan leaders have similarly backed Amirudin for the menteri besar position, owing to his strengths and advantages, reported Sinar Harian.
Party central leadership council member Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri pointed out that apart from being the most senior vice-president of Keadilan, Amirudin has performed admirably when leading the state administration.
“Yes, there are weaknesses in terms of dwindling support (for Selangor Harapan) in the recent state election, but this does represent Amirudin’s own failure,” he said.
Instead, Yahya noted that a similar trend can be seen at the federal level, as a result of a lack of compatibility among Harapan and Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters.
Selangor Keadilan Youth Legal Bureau chief Khairul Naim Rafidi similarly said Amirudin should be retained as menteri besar, going by the state’s economic performance in the past five years under his watch.
Meanwhile, another party central leadership council member, Hee Loy Sian, has urged all quarters not to be drawn to speculations revolving around the appointment of the next menteri besar
He expressed confidence that Amirudin, who is Selangor Harapan chairman, will be reappointed by the Sultan to the post.
Previously, several media reported that Amirudin could be dropped as menteri besar after supposedly failing to secure the support of Malay voters, leading to the Harapan-BN unity pact losing its two-thirds majority of the state assembly in the August 12 election.
