YOURSAY ‘Why no response to request for an audience - not once, but three times?’

Sultan never interfered, says palace

Kim Quek: The justification given by Selangor sultan’s private secretary Mohamad Munir Bani for the palace to appoint Azmin Ali, while rejecting Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail doesn’t hold water. 

First, Munir has stated Pakatan Rakyat’s inability to agree on a nominee as the reason for appointing Azmin. But then, isn’t Azmin even less qualified, as he was nominated by none? At least, Azizah was nominated by PKR and DAP.

Second, Azizah has proven support of 30 Aduns (state assemblypersons), out of a total of 56. Doesn’t that kind of majority support make her the only qualified nominee, keeping in mind that Azmin not only had none, but had actually signed a sworn statement supporting Azizah’s nomination?

Third, Munir Bani said Azmin was appointed because he was the deputy president of PKR, but isn’t Azizah even more qualified as the president of the party?

Fourth, if there was no hidden hands of politics, why had the palace persisted in keeping a distance from her despite her proven majority by not responding to her request for an audience - not once, but three times?

Mushiro: Munir has avoided the key questions. What has DAP and PKR not submitting more than two names got to do with complicating the issue?

Why didn't the palace discuss with the chief of Pakatan, Anwar Ibrahim, as the coalition has the majority in the House?

Why was there an unnecessary long delay to select and announce the MB? Why wasn't the Selangor constitution followed?

Ferdtan: Munir Bani denied that the sultan was "interfering" in administrating the affairs of the state. Say what you will, but don’t expect us to be convinced by you.

The palace prestige has been badly dented in this sad episode. It is no easy task to explain your way out; the rational, the logic and the one-sided actions taken by the palace are mysterious and strange to say the least.

Wan Azizah had 30 out of 56 assemblypersons, a clear majority, supporting her. It was declared in legally documents, statutory documents. And yet the palace was still unclear who had the majority?

Munir said Azmin was chosen at the end of the day as he was a deputy president of his party. What’s about the position higher than that?  The last time I check, Wan Azizah is the president of PKR.

Munir Bani, you can say whatever you want and make all sort of excuses; we who are living under the shadow of the draconian sedition law, which has been used to arrest critics for the slightest offence, will keep our comments to ourselves.

If only the palace can hear what is being said in private, both at home and in the coffee shops, they will be shocked.

Aries46: Munir's claims are baseless unless he clarifies why Wan Azizah who had majority support and meeting the constitutional provisions was ignored to the point of a royal snub.

The very fact that former MB Khalid Ibrahim failed to account or demonstrate his claim to majority support to continue in power after being dumped by PKR stands to question.

For Khalid to have exercised full authority until Monday with proven minority support, derived in part from opposition Umno, is a travesty of justice and a betrayal of the voters who had given more than two-thirds majority to Pakatan.

Who is answerable and who takes responsibility should any issues of state, moral, financial and/or legal arise out of his full-fledged role in an obscure caretaker tenure?

StrainingGnats, SwallowCamels: "The appointment of PKR deputy president Azmin Ali as the new Selangor menteri besar came a result of Pakatan Rakyat's inability to agree on who would take the post," said Munir Bani.  

It is a disingenuous statement. While I congratulate Azmin Ali, PKR's choice of Wan Azizah was crystal clear. The hopeful dissenters who submitted other names were crass and ignored clear convention.

Within Pakatan, PKR's choice of Wan Azizah was at the very least first among equals even if others have been nominated. But no other name was submitted.

To ignore that and make the above claim is to actually ignore the only clear and appropriate choice and play politics.

CQ Muar: Munir Bani, I don't really think one needed to be too highly educated to understand and digest all the comments contributed in Malaysiakini on whether or not the palace interfered in the choice of Selangor MB.

It was clear as crystal as to who ought to be the rightful and favoured MB. In spite of that, the final appointment opposed the majority's decision and consensus, and here you're making an attempt to justify and camouflage the ruler's wisdom with such a preposterous defence?

Come off it, Munir - we were not born yesterday.

Hang Babeuf: Of course, there was no interference. The palace just stated its position, insisted upon it, refused to hear anything else, and suggested that anyone who had and might try to put any other view was committing treason.

But that is not "interference". Simple as that.

Palace should explain why Azizah not suitable

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