ANY Umno candidate for Selangor menteri besar will eventually become corrupted due to the party’s culture and system, say PAS and Pakatan state lawmakers.

However, Pakatan lawmaker Khalid Samad also warned his colleagues not to take Umno and BN’s campaign for Selangor lightly, saying that the present Selangor government must also address its own weaknesses before GE14.

“They can propose whoever they want but the reality is, Umno and BN have a bad record in Selangor,” said Selangor PAS commissioner Sallehen Mukhyi.

Sallehen, a former Selangor exco member, said three of BN’s past menteris besar left office in disgrace after being tainted by allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

He was referring to Muhammad Muhammad Taib, who had to be replaced by Abu Hassan Omar, who was later replaced by Mohamad Khir Toyo.

Muhammad had been caught trying to smuggle currency in a suitcase into Australia in the late 1990s. He was tried but acquitted by an Australian court. He later resigned as menteri besar.

Abu Hassan only lasted three years before resigning under a cloud of allegations of abuse of power and personal attacks.

Abu Hassan’s successor, Khir Toyo, was the last BN menteri besar before Pakatan took over Selangor in 2008. In 2011, Khir Toyo was convicted of abuse of power over a 2007 land deal.

Sallehen said all three had clean reputations before taking office.    

He added that the same fate could befall BN’s latest candidates for menteri besar.

The Malaysian Insight reported that three current BN state assemblymen were being considered as the ruling coalition’s menteri besar candidate.

They are Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan of Batang Kali, Shahrom Mohd Sharif of Dengkil and Budiman Mohd Zohdi of Sungai Panjang.

Of the three, it is learnt that Mat Nadzari is the most favoured candidate as he is currently deputy Selangor and Umno chief.

“All these three are probably good people but the problem with BN is its system. The system exposes its menteris besar to impropriety and abuse of power.”

PAS is currently part of the Selangor administration together with DAP And PKR. But in GE14, it is expected to contest as part of the Gagasan Sejahtera Rakyat coalition against DAP and PKR, both part of Pakatan.

Selangor Pakatan deputy chief Zuraida Kamaruddin dismissed the three candidates as being unable to attract Selangor voters.

“They are not sensational and cannot attract support from Selangor’s progressive and diverse society.”

Zuraida also rubbished suggestions that BN chairman Noh Omar and controversial Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Yunos had been proposed as menteri besar candidates.  

“They are unqualified and irrelevant candidates,” said Zuraida, who is also Ampang MP.

Khalid, who is also Shah Alam MP, said it was more important for Selangor Pakatan to focus on strengthening its machinery and campaign to retain the state, rather than losing sleep over BN’s candidates.  

“I am not one to say that Umno is daydreaming or that they are overconfident. But Pakatan needs to concentrate on improving its performance, whether it be the services of its state assembly reps or its local councillors.”

This is since Pakatan is likely to face both BN and PAS’ Gagasan in multi-cornered contests, Khalid said. PAS has said they will contest against their former allies in 42 out of 56 state seats.

Pakatan comprises PKR, DAP, Amanah and Bersatu.

“It’s fine if Umno wants to declare who its menteri besar candidates are,” said Khalid, who also Amanah communications chief.  

“The people of Selangor can judge for themselves the performances of these candidates in the Selangor legislature.

“But what is more important is that Pakatan must strengthen its unity and solidarity to face both BN and PAS.” – December 24, 2017.