In Selangor MB impasse, the need to match talk with action

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim should show his 'majority support' in the Selangor assembly to resolve the menteri besar crisis. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, August 15, 2014.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has shown proof that it is behind Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the Selangor menteri besar. It can either test it within the state legislative assembly or by other means.

How about Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim? He has told the Selangor ruler that he commands the confidence of the majority of the 56 assemblymen in the state legislature.

But all we have is his word for it. PAS is still ambivalent although its four reps are still in the state executive council. And Umno's orders to Selangor Umno to support Khalid.

Two out of the 15 PAS lawmakers have joined the rest of PR to support Dr Wan Azizah. That leaves only 13 still on the fence, 12 Umno assemblymen for Khalid and Khalid for himself.

By any measure, any politician who has lost clear majority support will just give up the post. But not Khalid. He says he is MB until the state legislature meets, where a confidence vote can be taken.

So why doesn't Khalid just match his tough talk and bravado with real action.

Why doesn't he urge the sultan to call for emergency assembly and find out if he has support that he says he has. And from whom.

So far, Dr Wan Azizah has shown that she has the numbers while he has done little except talk.

Khalid has also said he does not recognise PR because it is not registered. So, who nominated and kept him as the state MB for the past six years? The state assembly only has assemblymen and they can organise themselves into pacts.

What pact was he in all these years? And what pact is he in now?

Khalid must walk the talk and prove he has the majority support – not just from the palace or his political foes Umno.

If push comes to shove, advise the Selangor sultan to dissolve the legislative assembly for fresh elections.

Perhaps, that is the end game. But why does he still cling on to power in the face of a majority against him? What does he gain sitting in office while others want to kick him out.

Why doesn't he do what Dr Wan Azizah has done and show his so-called "majority support"?

- TMI