HADI BOMBSHELL: PAS president admits Sultan did NOT make decree to reject Azizah

A day before the Selangor Sultan returns from an overseas trip, PAS president Hadi Awang has finally admitted there was 'no royal decree' on who should or should not be the state's chief minister.

"We would like to clarify that Dato Seri Tuan Guru (Hadi) sought an audience with His Royal Highness on the fourth day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri. There has was no decree on the Selangor menteri besar issue,"  Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, the PAS president’s political secretary, said in a statement loaded on the party's Harakahdaily website.

Very dirty politics

The brief clarification comes after weeks of intense politicking, leading to a political crisis in the Selangor state government.

Hadi's late disclosure is bound to raise eyebrows and cause greater anger towards PAS politicians in general and its president in particular for triggering unnecessary upheaval over the replacement of Khalid Ibrahim as Mentri Besar with Wan Azizah, the PKR president.

"Firstly, what was Hadi doing seeking a royal meeting behind the backs of DAP and PKR? Why did he keep quiet about this until the Sultan is about to reach home? Why couldn't he be transparent about it and put to rest all the rumors about the Sultan not wanting Azizah when the crisis was as its height and threatened to breakdown Pakatan?" a Pakatan insider told Malaysia Chronicle.

" If the Sultan did not make any decree, why did Hadi take upon himself to deliberately go against coalition line and object to PKR's nomination of Azizah, which is their right. Why did he, as PAS president, insist on Khalid when the choice of MB is PKR's and Azizah is the PKR president, no less? However you look at it, something's fishy. Hadi has to take the blame for triggering the Selangor crisis, and this is very serious because it almost killed Pakatan."

Notwithstanding the political bitterness towards Hadi and his faction of Islamist hardliners for plunging Pakatan into disrepute with Selangor folk, there are many who remain cautious including the more moderate-minded in PAS.

"Clearly, there is very dirty politics involved and anything can happen, so I would be extremely cautious. As they say, it's not over until it is over," Eddie Wong, a Pakatan watcher, told Malaysia Chronicle.

"Azizah may have won the support of all 43 Pakatan reps and she also has the popular vote to be the new MB. But until the Sultan confirms it, every day is a day is of opportunity for jealous foes and rivals to create instability in Selangor. Some are already speculating this is another last-minute ruse or tactic by the Hadi faction. I hope Pakatan, especially PAS hardliners, really understand how important it is to close ranks and stick with the coalition's joint decision. They better stop the back-stabbing or Selangorians will dump them at the ballot box."

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