THE END OF MUHYIDDIN & MAHATHIR’S SNEAKY PROTEGE – AN AZMIN COMEBACK??! EVEN MY TOES ARE LAUGHING! – PUNDITS MOCK THE ‘ULTIMATE BETRAYER’ – INSTEAD BETS ARE GROWING SELANGOR STATE POLLS WILL BE THE NO.1 TRAITOR’S FUNERAL – ‘OPPONENTS WILL BURY HIM INTO THE DUSTBIN OF HISTORY THIS TIME. THIS IS WHERE SUCH LEADERS DESERVE TO BE’
Amirudin Shari and Azmin Ali – two familiar names, once party colleagues and best of friends and now, political adversaries.
The former is the caretaker Selangor menteri besar and the latter is a former MB or the incumbent’s predecessor, to be precise.
On Aug 12, Selangor voters have a decision to make – to choose either a “loyal” Amirudin or the “treacherous” Azmin. It’s really not a difficult choice to make.
If the people of Selangor want continuity and stability offered by Pakatan Harapan, they should support Amirudin.
When we take a closer look at the dynamics of the Selangor leadership of Harapan, it is all about trust and loyalty. PKR in particular has gone through a lot, including some “messy” episodes, since they won the state in the 2008 general election.
The Kajang Move in 2014 was aimed at installing Anwar as the new Selangor MB to replace Abdul Khalid Ibrahim but it did not work out as planned.
Then-PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as Anwar’s replacement, then won the Kajang seat in a by-election and was supposed to take over as Selangor MB but that, too, did not happen.
It was then that we witnessed for the first time how the overly ambitious Azmin betrayed his party president by scheming with PAS assemblypersons to get the coveted post for himself and succeeded.
It must be put on record here that Wan Azizah, Anwar and family had never mentioned, at least not publicly, this first betrayal by Azmin against them – although it was also true that the Selangor sultan then had a role in the choice of MB.
Azmin probably considered Wan Azizah’s soft approach and generous tolerance of wayward party members a sign of weakness.
By the time Azmin was elected PKR deputy president, he was acting as if he was the president, overshadowing the mild-mannered Wan Azizah on many occasions.
One such incident was how he managed to get himself sworn in quickly as Selangor MB after the 14th general election in 2018 – without the green light from the party leadership.
It came as no surprise when Azmin led his “PKR 10” for the ultimate betrayal during the Sheraton Move in 2020. Up to this day, Malaysians consider that episode one of the darkest hours in the nation’s political history.
I have said this before and let me repeat it. I will never forget nor forgive the treachery of Azmin and his “PKR 10”.
This includes Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and his henchmen, plus the other spineless MPs who were quick to switch sides for their selfish interests.
Amirudin proved his loyalty
However, Amirudin stood by Harapan and proved his loyalty and commitment to the coalition by not joining the traitors during the Sheraton putsch.
Amirudin is said to have gradually won the trust of his party president, particularly after he defeated Azmin in the Gombak parliamentary seat during the 15th general election last November.
And Anwar is said to be keen on retaining Amirudin as Selangor MB should Harapan win the state on Aug 12.
Amirudin has also expressed his wish to continue helming the state government, unlike Azmin who has remained coy about even contesting a state seat in Selangor.
Of course, Azmin is keen to return as the Selangor MB. He is no longer an MP and there is only a slim chance of him becoming a federal minister over the next few years.
He is reportedly keen to contest in the safer Hulu Kelang seat as part of his comeback plan.
Azmin has also started taking potshots at Amirudin, reminding his successor that he was riding on the successes of his (Azmin’s) plans and programmes while he (Amirudin) has nothing to show on his record as MB.
Amirudin might be considered young at the age of 43 today but he must have garnered much experience as an administrator and political leader since he became MB in 2018, when he was only 38.
Amirudin knows when he has to be tough. On Tuesday, he slammed his Kedah counterpart Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor over the latter’s alleged insult of the Selangor ruler.
“It’s alright if he (Sanusi) insults me, but he insulted the Selangor sultan as well, by comparing him with the Kedah ruler.
“Sanusi, don’t be rude! Selangorians will teach you a lesson in the state election on Aug 12,” Amirudin was reported as saying at a function in Selangor.
Amirudin has also criticised PN, saying they did not have the courage to name an MB candidate despite some of their leaders, including Azmin, aggressively portraying themselves as champions of the Selangor people.
He also knows how to exude confidence when there is a need to. Already, Amirudin has stated that his ruling coalition can win at least 33 out of the 56 state assembly seats.
The Selangor Harapan chairperson also described the 33 constituencies as safe seats, thus enabling his coalition to form the state government in the coming term.
Meanwhile, what has Azmin been doing as the state polls loom? What he knows best – firing salvos at his former allies in Harapan and also attacking the prime minister.
What Azmin said at the Selangor PN Convention on June 24, basically criticising all the prominent Harapan leaders, has been well reported. So, I will spare the details.
What I do believe is that Azmin knows he made a big mistake by switching sides in 2020. At times, his better conscience must have pricked him.
Question. Of his original “PKR 10”, how many are still with him today? Two or three; the rest have left him.
Such a leader cannot expect loyalty from his followers for long and unethical behaviour will soon return to haunt him as well.
If Azmin contests a state seat in Selangor again, I will be the least surprised if his opponent buries him into the dustbin of history this time. This is where such leaders deserve to be. MKINI
MKINI
.