PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has been ousted as a member of the board of directors of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) as decided by Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

A source told Malaysiakini that the letter informing Azmin of his removal was sent at 11am yesterday.

PKNS, a state-owned conglomerate, is a major property developer and an investor in key businesses in Selangor.

The source said the removal was despite the state legal adviser and PKNS advising that Azmin, who is also Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyperson, be retained.

“The reason given by the menteri besar was that Azmin had already surrendered his official vehicle and privileges to PKNS before the last general election,” said the source, who is privy to the exco paper on the matter.

Describing the reason given as “absurd”, the source said Azmin had only surrendered his privileges in line with the caretaker government guidelines after the state assembly was dissolved.

According to the source, Abdul Khalid, who is also PKNS chairperson, had chaired two board meetings for the corporation after the  polls but refused to clarify the position of Azmin and two other government appointees.

However, Abdul Khalid later abruptly sought an exco paper on the status of the three appointees on the PKNS board - Cempaka state assemblyperson Iskandar Abdul Samad, former Kinrara state assemblyperson Teresa Kok and Azmin - said the source.

'Another incumbent retained'

The exco paper was commissioned due to ambiguity over regulations on the exact tenure of PKNS board of director appointees to the state agency as well as their reappointment.

The exco paper was presented to Abdul Khalid on Nov 13 last year and he made the decision to drop Azmin on Dec 4, said the source.

Describing the removal of Azmin, who is still a PKR state assemblyperson, as an aberration, he pointed that PAS’ Iskandar, who is also a Selangor state assemblyperson, remains on the PKNS board.

Kok, the former senior exco member who surrendered her state assembly seat in Selangor to focus on her parliamentary seat in Kuala Lumpur, was dropped as expected.

Azmin has been a fierce critic of Abdul Khalid, urging his rival to spend on development instead of accumulating the state reserve which stands at close to RM3 billion as of last year.

Azmin, who harbours the ambition of becoming Selangor MB, had previously resigned from the PKNS board of directors, in 2010, but denied it was due to a rift with Abdul Khalid.

He snidely stated the resignation was to make way for younger candidates who were “better liked” by the menteri besar.

Azmin’s latest ouster comes just two months before the PKR party elections, which will see key leaders jostling for top posts.