AFTER fits and starts, the Selangor Pakatan Harapan leadership has finally been formed and held its first meeting today.

Chaired by Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali, the meeting was attended by state PH component party leaders to discuss the structure of the opposition coalition’s leadership at the state level, said Selangor Amanah chairman Izham Hashim.

“The meeting went well, smoothly, and was a success,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“We have succeeded in building a Selangor PH committee, and we discussed our preparations to face the 14th general election.”

Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, was appointed chairman of the state PH by the coalition’s presidential council.

The council, a week ago, carved up the states to be headed by each of PH’s component parties.

PKR is to chair the coalition in Selangor, Pahang, Negri Sembilan and Sabah.

In a statement about 1pm, Azmin announced the full line-up of the Selangor PH committee.

The deputy chairmen are Tony Pua (DAP), Izham (Amanah) and Sivarasa Rasiah (PKR).

PKR’s women’s wing chief, Zuraida Kamaruddin, was appointed as secretary, assisted by Kamarul Hisham (Amanah), while the treasurer is Hannah Yeoh (DAP), who is also Selangor Assembly speaker.

The information chief is Sukiman Sarmani (Bersatu), elections director Dr Xavier Jayakumar (PKR) and chairman of the manifesto committee Saari Sungib (Amanah).

Gobind Singh Deo has been appointed chairman of the legal bureau.

“I am happy with the consensus in our discussions. I am confident in the unity we have in Selangor PH to face the election,” Azmin said.

He said the meeting also discussed a common manifesto and the PH election machinery, including information programmes that would be held to raise awareness on the successes of the state administration.

There were some differences that PH in Selangor had adopted for its leadership structure, Izham said.

“To ensure the Indian community is represented, Sivarasa was appointed as a deputy chairman in the pact’s state-level leadership.”

Prior to this, there was tension among Selangor PH leaders because of Azmin’s delay in forming a state-level PH committee.

Azmin had been more keen on pursuing talks with former opposition ally PAS to ensure straight fights in GE14, especially in Selangor.

The PH presidential council’s decision last month to reject any electoral cooperation with the Islamist party has since quelled some tension, ensuring that state-level PH committees were able to work towards the same agenda. – September 8, 2017.