While Hasan Ali continues his Embarrass Pakatan Tour 2012, protesting his “unjust” sacking from PAS, the government of Selangor announced his replacements in a surprising reshuffle of the executive council portfolios.
PAS’ Sijangkang assemblyman Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi was sworn in before Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah as the new Selangor executive councillor, replacing Hasan.
A relative unknown, Dr Ahmad Yunus is a medical doctor who was previously assistant exco for Youth and Sports as well as Education and Higher Learning and Human Capital. It is said that the Islamic party has selected him due to his clean track record and good standing with the state civil servants, giving him an edge over other candidates.
“We believe that Dr Ahmad Yunus will be able to conduct his duties as the new exco transparently and responsibly,” said Selangor Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
But, according to Khalid, Hasan’s various posts have been split to ensure a smoother transition for Dr Ahmad Yunus and to allow for better efficiency in the handling of what was previously a bigger portfolio.
Khalid announced that Dr Ahmad Yunus would be the exco in charge of Malay Customs, Youth and Sports, while Khalid himself had taken over the Islamic Affairs, Infrastructure and Public Amenities portfolio, a surprising move that takes away a key position from PAS.
“We did not ignore PAS’s opinion,” said Khalid. “We referred to their leadership and said in the interest of the state and Pakatan Rakyat, we should change.”
When asked if PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang gave his blessing, Khalid only replied, “I spoke to him.”
Meanwhile PAS state commissioner and widely touted exco candidate Abd Rani Osman and Bandar Baru Bangi state assemblyman Dr Shafie Abu Bakar have been appointed chairman of the Rural Poor Micro Credit Scheme and Malay Customs Corporation, respectively, two posts previously held by Hasan as well.
Selangor PAS had recommended Dr Abd Rani Osman for the Islamic Affairs portfolio but the party denied rumours of a rift.
However, PAS can’t be pleased that, as the party spearheading Islamic values, it has lost its prized Islamic Affairs portfolio, just as Hasan talks about the “Anwarisation” of the party and threatens to expose the “group of parasites” that have allegedly infiltrated PAS.
All is clearly not well at Pakatan.