Monday, August 04, 2014

It is the people (vide their ADUNs) that should decide who should be the Menteri Besar of Selangor?

Menteri Besar - Who chooses? It is the ADUNs, not the political parties or political party bosses. No one can be MB unless he/she enjoys the confidence of the majority of the ADUNs. ADUNs are peoples' rep - so it is the people

Should Khalid be no more the Menteri Besar of Selangor?
-  Well, has he lost the confidence of the majority of the ADUNs of Selangor - that is the only question.

Can PKR, the political party under whose name Khalid stood for election, 'order' Khalid to resign? 
They can order...but the MB need not listen.The MB will step down as soon as he/she loses the confidence of the majority of the ADUNs.

So, what is the role of the political party...or in this case the Pakatan Rakyat?
Well, in my opinion, they must be playing a check and balance role - making sure that their MB and their ADUNs are carrying out their functions as required. They can, of course, criticize some of the actions and policies - They can also try to influence the ADUNs in the State Legislative Assembly to withdraw their support or 'confidence' in the Menteri Besar. 

Pakatan Rakyat should always be monitoring their MBs and State Governments - it is good what is happening in Selangor. In fact, a similar thing should have happened in Kedah in the last term...That MB was making policies and taking actions, which I would have considered inconsistent with PR stance and policies... [But, then  does PR have common positions, policies, etc - there really must be more statements and positions by PR, the political party/coalition.] 

That is why, I believe, that it be best that Presidents and party leaders should not be MPs or ADUNs...or MBs or PM - they should stay out and play the more important role of being the 'watchdogs' - the check and balance role? ...What happened in Selangor is laughable...that Anwar, then the PKR President, has to get a PKR ADUN to resign and have a by-election so that they they can come in and take over executive power in Selangor? Why? Was there no other qualified ADUN from PKR or PAS or DAP that could have replaced Khalid if he had lost the support of the majority of ADUNs...
 

So, what is the role of the Pakatan Rakyat ADUNs in Selangor?
Well, they should not be 'silenced' but bravely express their views and position in the State Assembly and outside. They must make constructive criticism of the MB and his Exco - yes, this is the role of the non-Exco ADUNs of PR - the Backbenchers. Have the PR ADUNs been doing this - or have they behaved liked BN MPs - not criticizing, not challenging, not opposing all that the MB and his Exco does - if so, they have failed in their role.

What about Exco members? Well, they can express and opposing personal position - but like any democracy will go with the MB and the majority in the Exco as far as the 'official' stance is. Remember BN's Nazri takes a personal position for the abolition of the death penalty - but as a member of the BN cabinet he takes the opposite position. Remember, in a democracy there is freedom of expression and opinion - but at the end of the day, after the vote, everyone follows the winning position....or view as the official position. [One that disagrees can of course continue lobbying ...and maybe, the next time a vote is taken, positions may change].

Well, the ultimate decision is the people - maybe we should be having a REFERENDUM in Selangor to see if the people of Selangor wants Khalid to remain as MB...or not...

Note also that Khalid seem to have much support in PKR - considering he is now running second for the highest democratically elected position in PKR general elections. [Sad to say that Anwar nor Wan Azizah really do not really know how much the members of PKR support them to be the leaders of the party - it would have been best if their position was contested and there was elections...] 





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