Selangor impasse - Opportunity for PR and BN to work hand-in-glove.

I am anxiously waiting for the sequence of events after the Selangor State Executive Councilors headed by the MB Khalid Ibrahim had an audience with HRH the Sultan of Selangor yesterday.

At the press conference Khalid told the crowded media crews that HRH had said that he has no more power to accept or to reject any nomination for the State Secretary post by the PSC. The power used to be constitutionally provided to him had been repealed by the Legislative during the UMNO-staged constitutional crisis in 1993.

The power was totally transferred to the Federal Government and HRH had advised the State Government to resolve crisis with the Federal authority amicably.

Now the PR led State Government is calling for an emergency sitting of the State Assembly to amend the constitution, giving back what was withdrawn from HRH Sultan of Selangor during the 1993 constitutional crisis. The amendment is expected to be unanimously supported by the members of the State Assembly including by the Law-Makers from UMNO and BN. UMNO has to support the proposed amendment as taking the reversed decision will put UMNO at odd with the Royal House.

To some political opinion UMNO is trapped by its own liable and ill intended acts. Since the Perak coup de tat almost 2 years ago UMNO had been hiding in the arm-pit of the Malay Rulers and had been trying desperately hard to lay wedges between the Rulers and the alternative coalition (PR).

UMNO does not realize that the Malay Rulers do not have enough power to protect them any longer and that is the result of the amendments they initiated on the constitution pertaining to the role of the Malay rulers.
The amendment that repealed the provision in the 159 (5) and the 181 (2) in 1993 was fatal for everyone as it reduces the power of the Malay Rulers to protect the Malays and safeguard the non-Malays.

But let us forget about the desolate past and we just look forward to see that both sides of the divide to work hand-in-glove to resolve the impasse. PKR has 35 in hands in the State Assembly, short of 3 to make up the 2/3 majority of 38 for the proposed amendment to go through.

It will be uncalled for BN representatives especially from UMNO not to support the amendments. If UMNO representatives are not with the amendment then their talk and shout about ‘mendaulatkan Raja-Raja Melayu’ all these while are all fallacies and not more than just hollow political slogan.

Borrowing one of the Malay proverbs, ‘nanti mata berpandangan budi kedapatan’; eventually the rakyat will decide. Do not forget that we are under the watchfulness of the thinking rakyat.

To both side of the divide, just do the needful.