In addressing delegates at the Selangor DAP convention yesterday, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua asserted that DAP be allowed to field its party man for the Deputy Speaker two position in the Selangor state assembly.
“We have no intention of chasing away the PAS Deputy speaker who was elected. We have only asked all the while, for the Deputy Speaker 2 position as seen in Perak and Sabah,” said Pua.
The poll carried out in the state assembly last week saw PAS’ Mohd Shafie Ngah defeat DAP’s Ng Suee Lim for the Deputy speaker position by a 14 vote majority where 28 reps had voted for Shafie against Ng’s 14 votes. It is assumed that all of DAP’s 14 reps (except Hannah Yeoh, who is the Selangor State Speaker) had voted for their party man while the remaining 28 votes were allotted from PAS’ 15 reps and PKR’s 13 reps.
DAP’s nomination of Sekinchan rep Ng Suee Lim for the post of Deputy Speaker 1 was seen as a surprise due to the initial reservation of the seat by MB Mohamed Azmin Ali for PAS.
However, Pua defended the party decision, saying that it was a fair proposal after abiding by PKR during the Selangor MB crisis.
In the crisis that saw Khalid Ibrahim refuse to give up his position as the MB of Selangor after agreement countless Pakatan Rakyat negotiations, all 3 DAP and 3 PKR state Exco’s were relieved of their positions; after which, according to Pua, PKR and DAP had agreed to reserve an extra Exco seat for DAP when the next MB came into power.
When Azmin Ali subsequently took over as the Selangor MB, he had chosen 4 PKR state Exco’s which Pua said the DAP excepted – but asked only that the Deputy Speaker position be filled by a DAP rep.
“PKR, with 13 reps have 4 Exco positions and 1 Menteri Besar. DAP, which has 15 reps, only has 3 Exco’s and 1 Speaker in the State Assembly,” said Pua.
He also said that the DAP had stuck to PKR “through thick and thin” despite being opposed by PAS, who did not vouch for then Pakatan Rakyat nominee and PKR President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail the same way DAP had.
Through thick and thin
The tumultuous Selangor MB crisis saw only two PAS reps supporting Wan Azizah for the MB position. PAS reps Saari Sungib (Hulu Kelang rep) and Hasnul Baharuddin ( Morib rep) were the only two out of the 15 PAS reps in the state who backed Wan Azizah for the MB post after it was vacated by Khalid Ibrahim, who was fired by PKR on grounds of questionable bank dealings and unwillingness to cooperate with component parties on state decisions.
Saari Sungib and Hasnul Baharuddin were then asked by PAS to retract their endorsement and were even called ‘barua’ (lackeys) by PAS President Hadi Awang. The PAS president said that Wan Azizah was ‘unqualified’ for the position. Later, PAS’s Ulama wing questioned her capability to be the MB on the basis of gender.
“We (DAP) have never smeared the good name of PKR President Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. What is the meaning of a coalition if even the nomination of the President of a fellow coalition partner can be objected to, and objected with such venom?” Pua said.
Following the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s refusal to agree with the decision made by Pakatan Rakyat, Azmin Ali of PKR was selected by the PKR as the MB of Selangor – which the DAP also had graciously supported.
“DAP took a firm stand that the Selangor MB position should be exclusively held by a PKR leader, and we kept to our promise without doubting any candidate nominated by PKR,” said Pua, on DAP’s position during the said crisis.
Pua added that the DAP would defend the camaraderie of DAP and PKR in the state, and that they fully supported Azmin Ali’s leadership; commending the new MB for his down-to-ground-approach in addressing issues and delivering upon his promise to return the seized 352 Malay bibles to the Christian community.
The DAP, Pua says, only asked that the party be treated fairly for their undivided loyalty to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition as seen during the Selangor MB crisis. -The Rocket
