Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim cannot hide behind the Selangor Sultan but must come forward as an honest, honourable and accountable political leader to explain why he deliberately misled the Sultan on August 11 that he still commanded the majority in the Selangor State Assembly when this was not the case.
It is pointless for Khalid to pass the buck and suggest that those accusing him of misleading the Selangor Sultan to write to the ruler himself for an explanation.
The question is not an explanation from the Sultan but an explanation from him as the issue is not whether the Sultan was satisfied on August 11 that Khalid had the confidence of the majority of the Selangor Assembly representatives but why Khalid had made false representation to the Sultan that he had the majority support in the state assembly when clearly he did not have it.
Is Khalid seriously suggesting that after he was sacked as a member by PKR on 9th August, he still commanded support of the majority in the Selangor State Assembly?
When Khalid had an audience with the Selangor Sultan on Monday 11th August, what was the basis of his confidence and his representation to the Sultan that he still commanded the majority of the State Assembly, as both the 13 PKR and 15 DAP Assembly representatives have already publicly declared their support for Datuk Seri Wan Azizah as the new Mentri Besar.
Even with PAS’ 15 State Assembly representatives still to make their public stand after Khalid’s expulsion from the PKR, there was no basis whatsoever for Khalid to make any representation to the Sultan that he still commanded majority support in the State Assembly.
If Khalid can make a false representation to the Selangor Sultan that he still commanded majority support of the Selangor State Assembly when this was not the case after his expulsion from PKR, what other misrepresentations is he incapable of making as Selangor Mentri Besar to the people of Selangor?
Khalid 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to him by PKR and the Pakatan Rakyat coalition after the 13th General Elections last May, and once this mandate was withdrawn by PKR by his expulsion from the party, his continued tenure as Selangor Mentri Besar became completely untenable.
Khalid now says that dissolution of the Selangor State Assembly may be an option.
This will make a double mockery of the landslide mandate given by the Selangor voters in the 13th General Elections in May last year where Pakatan Rakyat won 44 of the 56 Selangor State Assembly seats with the support of 79% of the state electorate as well as the clear-cut provisions in the Selangor Constitution.
There is no constitutional crisis as to who commands the majority of the 56-member Selangor State Assembly, made doubly clear by the Thursday declaration of the 30 Selangor State Assembly representatives – 13 PKR, 15 DAP and 2 PAS (with 13 PAS Assembly representatives still to make their public stand) – but only a constitutional crisis created by one person, Khalid, who refused to resign gracefully and honourably but is making a mockery of the Selangor Constitution and all democratic principles.
The question of a general election does not arise if both the word and spirit of the Selangor Constitution are strictly complied with.
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.”
There is no basis for Khalid to request a dissolution of the Selangor State Assembly as firstly, he does not represent any resemblance of a substantial Assembly grouping to make such a request; and secondly, the State Assembly is not paralysed by a lack of a commanding majority for a new Mentri Besar and new state government to be formed.
Apart from the 12 Umno Assembly representatives whom the Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy UMNO President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said would give him “unconditional support”, what other support could Khalid get?
Is Khalid seriously suggesting that if the Selangor State Assembly is dissolved, he stands a chance of winning in the state general elections and to return to the State Assembly to continue as Selangor Mentri Besar?
In fact, Khalid would not be able to save himself if there is a dissolution, for he would be defeated in his present Pelabuhan Klang state seat if he recontests – and everybody knows why he did not recontest in Ijok state seat in the 13th GE last May.
Constitutionally, there is still an honourable final exit for him if he could perform a “political miracle” – to convene an emergency state assembly meeting in a matter of days to establish that he still commanded the support of the majority in the State Assembly despite his expulsion from PKR.
But Khalid should not have misled the Sultan of Selangor in the royal audience on 11th August that he still commanded the majority in the State Assembly when clearly this was not the case.
The facts are very clear and indisputable.
(i) After Khalid was expelled from PKR, he lost the majority support in the Selangor State Assembly.
(ii) When Khalid met the Selangor Sultan on August 11, he did not command the majority of the Selangor State Assembly and he misled the Sultan with the misrepresentation that he still commanded majority support of the Selangor State Assembly.
(iii) Today Khalid still does not have majority support in the State Assembly.
(iv) In an emergency meeting of the State Assembly, there is no way Khalid will win in a vote on a confidence motion.
Can Khalid explain why he is hanging on to the MB’s post instead of honourably and ethically tendering his resignation to the Sultan, as decreed by the Selangor Constitution, democratic principles and political ethics and morality?
Or will Khalid 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 subterfuge of dishonourable, unethical, unprincipled and undemocratic clinging to office for as long as possible until November before facing a confidence vote?