Are We Too Stupid To Think?

- in our opinions, this time around, Rafizi's reasons and excuses really does not hold water at all.
- DS Anwar Ibrahim is the "Ketua Umum" of Pakatan and PKR and the MB and his team is behind him. He is also the economic adviser for the state, therefore he has more than enough clout and influence to "protect" the state from UMNO - no matter who the head of UMNO is
- YB Rafizi, I think you can do better than these reasons
---
PKR is putting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Kajang to defend Selangor from being taken over by Umno if the ruling party unseats party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, party strategist Rafizi Ramli (pic) said today.

He said it was an open secret that moves to remove Najib has begun and once it was done, Umno will unleash every “unscrupulous attack and schemes” to take the state back “by hook or by crook”.

“As a party strategist, I cannot rule out the possibility that once Najib is removed and Umno falls to the ultras led by the Mahathir Mohamad faction,” he said today in a statement while apologising to the public especially the voters of Kajang for the by-election.

PKR and allies DAP and PAS won Selangor for the second term in Election 2013 with 44 state seats, six more than in the 2008 polls, battering Selangor Umno which only picked up 12 seats despite being led by Najib.

Rafizi said the by-election would certainly consume public money and public space at a time when the people have to go through economic hardship.

He said Umno’s cards were all too obvious in the latest round of racial and religious controversies stirred up in Selangor in the last few months.

Rafizi said this did not mean there might be a change of stewardship in Selangor, which was currently helmed by popular Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, but it would give them the option to "optimise" its leadership potential if Umno caused more problems.

“Option is key. Having the option means having the flexibility of manoeuvres that can easily frustrate Umno’s game in Selangor, especially with regards to racial and religious controversies."

He acknowledged that under Khalid's stewardship, Selangor, Malaysia's richest and most industrialised state, had shown "sterling" performance in the last six years and set a "gold standard" in integrity and prudence in managing public funds.

But, Rafizi said, there were problems and challenges that required intervention.

These included traffic woes, affordable public housing and water resources.

"Selangor has to be doubly better than what it is today if it were to become a showcase for Pakatan in its quest for Putrajaya.

Following the resignation of Lee Chin Cheh from the seat, PKR named Anwar as the candidate, fuelling speculation that it was a move to pave the way for him to become the next menteri besar and to put a stop to the ongoing feud between his loyalist Azmin Ali and Khalid.

However, Anwar fended off suggestions that his candidacy was to pave the way for him to take over from Khalid, insisting that he was running as a state assembly member in order to help strengthen Pakatan's running of the state and to build momentum for the coalition's ambitions to take over federal power.

"This decision is for me to help improve the already stellar performance of the state administration under Khalid.

"It is to make Selangor a base from which to launch our campaign to take over Putrajaya," Anwar said yesterday.

He also fended off criticism that the party was using the by-election to resolve what was really an internal party crisis.

"We have to explain to the people the rationale of this by-election. It is to give space to a candidate that can help boost the state's administration. I will assist the state government in whatever way I can."

Khalid's feud with his party over how he runs the state became an open secret months after he was sworn in for a second term after the 13th general election.

During the state's budget session last October, Khalid clashed with Selangor PKR over a hike in the salaries of elected representatives, state executive councillors, the state assembly speaker and menteri besar.

Azmin, who is Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman, and Anwar, opposed the salary hikes, some of which were increased by up to 300%.

Khalid was also criticised for the amount of funds set aside for development in the state budget which were said to be less than expected compared with the amount allocated for the operating expenditure.

A few weeks ago, things came to a head again between Khalid and Azmin over Azmin's termination as a director on the board of state property developer PKNS.

Azmin blamed Khalid for dropping him as a board member but Khalid claimed it was the corporation’s decision.

An investigation is currently under way to get to the bottom of the issue.