Former Selangor MB, Azmin Ali chided his progeny, Amirudin Shari, whom he had appointed to be Menteri Besar of Selangor.
And Amirudin fired back a salvo claiming that Selangor had, in fact, deteriorated since Azmin's era.
To me, both characters did a lousy job as Menteri Besar of Selangor which has left the state the way it is today, "Negeri Selangor, Darul Sampah."
Lip Service
Even when the problems on the ground were highlighted to Amirudin, he paid no attention to the complaints on the ground, but in Selangorkini, he claimed that PH has done a great job in Selangor.
The contribution that Selangor made to the country's Gross Domestic Product, Amirudin said, has increased from 23.2 percent in 2017 to 24.8 percent in 2021. This is hardly anything to shout about, considering that the percentage contribution takes into account the contributions by other states as well. The hard facts were not presented.
On the surface, he is at least paying lip service to PH claiming that PH is doing a great job in Selangor, which I beg to differ.
Yet, when reporters tried to approach Amirudin regarding the forest reserve for more information, he refused to entertain the press. If the state exco Hee Loy Sian had given a good explanation to the press, they would not have to go to the Menteri Besar: but the fact that they are doing it, shows that they are dissatisfied with Hee's answers.
Personally, I also cannot comprehend Hee's logic that 27 mini licenses issued for quarries within the forest reserve of Bukit Lagong, for example, does not alter Bukit Lagong's status as a forest reserve.
Either Hee is too naive, or he is ignoring the fact that, before any quarrying work is carried out, a number of trees would have to be cleared -- and this has the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) all riled up against the Selangor State Government.
Otai Attacking PKR?
Interestingly, even Otai Reformis 1998, which has been with the Reformasi movement since 1998, is also against the state government currently under Pakatan Harapan. Its Menteri Besar is a member of the PKR party.
At least they are providing a check-and-balance to ensure that Pakatan Harapan does not become another BN 2.0. I think they are doing a better job than the Opposition in Selangor. I heard that backbencher, Ronnie Liu has been a "livewire" in the state assembly when he raised issues such as the incinerators and Bukit Cherakah on behalf of the NGOs.
Otai's secretary, Abdul Razak Ismail has also lodged a report with the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Agency Commission (MACC) regarding the alleged foul play in the way the state awarded the quarry plots within Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve. Evidence has been provided to the MACC and a file has been opened to investigate the allegations.
Where Otai is concerned, if it is an internal feud between Otai and Amirudin's faction, it would of course destroy Pakatan Harapan's credibility because no kingdom can stand if there is internal strife between its various factions.
But, I doubt this is the case. Although Otai is actively seeking for more information about the Bukit Lagong issue using Pakatan Harapan's own Freedom of Information Act, it is displeased with the response it received from Amirudin's administration that the names of the 27 quarries are under "official secrets act." (OSA).
This is not the way Pakatan Harapan is supposed to behave. There is something very fishy about the whole episode since Azmin and Amirudin's era.
However, if we postulate further, it could be more than meet the eyes if the Azmin-Amirudin's feud were a mere sandiawara (shadow play), judging from the information that is already out in the public domain.
Why do I say so?
Assuming....
Assuming that Amirudin is a Trojan horse left by Azmin Ali in view of the Sheraton Move to run the state of Selangor, what would happen if Amirudin were charged by the MACC?
PKR will again get the bad name, of course, because tongues would be wagging that "another one of its leaders is found to be corrupt." Does it end there?
No, Pakatan Harapan would be seen as the BN 2.0. But is it really BN 2.0, or just some cynical plot to make it appear corrupt? I don't know. We just have to watch.
Assuming that tomorrow Anwar Ibrahim were to sack Amirudin from the party, how would the public react?
Amirudin has appeared like a great supporter of PKR at least by lip service. So, (just assuming) if Anwar sacked him now, Anwar would be seen as the "Mr Bad Wolf." He would be accused of being unkind to the sheep, even if what is in front of us is a Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Either way, Anwar would find it hard to act. If he does not sack Amirudin, things can get worse in Selangor especially when there appears to be no olive branch offered by either side - State Government and the NGOs -- to cancel all the licenses on Bukit Lagong, Bukit Cerakah and well, all the other "bukit" around Selangor. Soon, we will have a few more "botak" (bald) hills.
Even now, Anwar is portrayed as a hypocrite by PEKA, an NGO involved in safeguarding our natural heritage -- the rainforest and all the biodiversity that it can boast of to the rest of the world.
Could this be very well a Boston tea party plot played by the Trojan horses in Selangor? Let's continue to watch.
Assuming that MACC is investigating whether the licenses were initially issued by Azmin, Amirudin may be able to use the recent feud to show that he has nothing to do with Azmin's decisions in the past.
If not to the MACC, Amirudin could show the public that he is "divorced" from Azmin, but what goes behind the scene is anyone's guess.
Yes, while I do not have all the answers but again, it is useful to keep an eye on Selangor to see how the story unfolds before us.
Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan Council has to be decisive to replace the complacent state exco with people who are more competent to do a good job, otherwise, it could very well either lose Selangor in the coming state election or the 16th General Election.
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