S'gor PKR leaders rally behind embattled Khalid
Selangor PKR leaders last night rallied behind embattled Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim in a move to fend off talk of a revolt by some of the party’s parliamentarians.
Selangor PKR leaders last night rallied behind embattled Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim in a move to fend off talks of revolt by some of the party’s parliamentarians.
Seventeen out of the 22 Selangor PKR division leaders turned up at an emergency meeting yesterday to pledge their support for Khalid.
The two-hour meeting was held at the Selangor MB’s residence, although Khalid himself opted to stay out of the discussion.
Only five division leaders, including Azmin Ali who helms the Gombak division, were absent from the meeting.
Apparently, two of the division chiefs who also failed to make it cited health problems and a prior engagement as reasons. Both, nevertheless, had expressed their support for Khalid.
The remaining two division chiefs are believed to be part of Azmin's camp.
The emergency meeting was called in the wake of rumours that 15 PKR MPs - dubbed as the ‘G15', and widely seen as supporters of Azmin - plan to hand a petition to party supremo Anwar Ibrahim before the PKR retreat today demanding Khalid’s removal.
“After the notice for meeting was sent to the division leaders by the organiser, a number of mysterious SMSes followed, telling the division heads to keep out of meddling in issues involving Selangor," said one PKR leader present in the meeting.
"This angered quite a lot of people,” the leader added.
MPs told to stay out
Others present at the meeting described the Selangor division leaders as being firmly behind Khalid. 
According to them, the move by the G15 has severely tarnished the party's image.
They also said they want Khalid to continue as Selangor MB to ensure that the party remained intact.
They further called on PKR federal lawmakers to stop intervening in state’s matters.
Doubts were also expressed as to whether as many as 15 MPs, among its existing crop of 24 parliamentarians nationwide, were involved in the revolt against Khalid.
The Selangor leaders also expressed worries that the plot to remove Khalid has become yet another weapon in BN's inventory of arsenal to launch attacks against PKR.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin sent out a tweet yesterday: “Bookies opening bets for who's going to crash out first: England or Khalid Ibrahim. ”
Showdown at weekend retreat
It is learnt that the Selangor PKR leadership will release a statement in support of Khalid’s leadership before the retreat kicks off at a Shah Alam hotel this weekend.
Selangor PKR Youth leaders, who were present at yesterday’s meeting, had also released a statement backing Khalid’s leadership.
In addition, the Selangor state leadership, which is led by Khalid, gave its thumbs-up to the choice of Faekah Hussin (left) as the MB’s new political secretary - an issue which sparked the latest rebellion.
This PKR two-day retreat this weekend will be attended by all MPs and state assemblypersons as well as members of the leadership council.
It was organised to discuss preparations for the next general elections but may turn into a showdown between supporters and detractors of the troubled Selangor MB.
