By A. RUBAN
ruban_22@thestar.com.my
Khalid leaving Istana Bukit Kayangan after meeting the Selangor Sultan in Shah Alam yesterday.
SHAH ALAM: With Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim confirmed for the Mentri Besar post, the attention has now turned to the list of candidates for the Selangor executive councillors.
Although Khalid did not name himself or anyone else for the swearing-in ceremony at the Istana Alam Shah today, an official from the state secretariat confirmed that he was indeed the man for the post.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the Selangor Sultan at Istana Bukit Kayangan yesterday, Khalid said the list of candidates had been finalised, adding that the swearing-in ceremony was expected to take place within a fortnight.
“I have the names of the exco members but they will probably be sworn in within a week or two,” he said, declining to reveal the names.
Asked to comment on speculation that he would be sworn in as Mentri Besar for the second term, Khalid merely said: “The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Istana Alam Shah today.”
The confirmation put paid to the week-long poser on who would hold the Mentri Besar post.
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, who was previously said to be eyeing the post, had been quoted as saying that he would respect whoever the Mentri Besar would be.
Despite his earlier strong objections over the way party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had submitted the name of the candidate, allegedly without the knowledge of the state party’s leadership, Azmin had pledged full backing to whoever was chosen.
Khalid took his first oath of office on March 13, 2008, – four days after the 12th general election – while members of the state exco were sworn in on March 23.
In the May 5 polls, Pakatan Rakyat won 44 out of 56 seats, an increase from the 36 seats gained in 2008.
However, immediately after the victory, there was no certainty that the Mentri Besar post would be retained by PKR as the party held the least number of seats among its Pakatan partners.
It won 14 seats against the 15 each held by DAP and PAS.
Over the past few days, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, PASpresident Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali had made public their stand to back Khalid as Mentri Besar.
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