MB's aide rebuts ex-SS's assertions

Contrary to assertions, outgoing state secretary Ramli Mahmud kept the Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim out of the loop on the candidature and appointment of his replacement, Mohd Khusrin Munawi.

This despite having attended two state exco meetings, two state economic action council meetings and a function held to fete his retirement in March this year during which he could have informed Khalid or his excos of the decision.

“In these five occasions, Ramli never mentioned that the ruler (Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah) had acceded to (the appointment of) Khusrin,” said Khalid's political secretary Faekah Hussin (above).

She said this in a statement responding to assertions by Ramli (right) and the federal government's chief secretary Mohd Sidek Hassan that the Selangor government had been informed of Khusrin's appointment.

Faekah noted that it had been established practice for the federal-level Public Service Commission (SPA) to send the list of qualified candidates (Grade 54 and above) for the post to the menteri besar.
 
The menteri besar would then select the candidate or candidates and submit the list to the sultan.

After acceding to the names shortlisted, the MB would surrender the list back to SPA for documentation purposes.

Reiterating the chronology of events according to the state government, Faekah said the reverse happened when the chief secretary sent the names in a Dec 3 letter straight to the sultan through Ramli.

"This clearly was done against procedure, sidestepping the menteri besar, in an non-transparent manner and unprofessionally,” said Faekah.

Ramli, on his part, did not inform the MB, Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (in blue, next the sultan), that he had received the names of the three short-listed candidates in the Dec 3 letter.

It was only on Dec 21 - after the MB had on Dec 17 written to the sultan informing him of the candidates for the post of state secretary and requesting a royal audience to discuss the matter - that the MB was informed Khusrin had already received the sultan's blessings to be appointed state secretary.

This was done through the sultan’s secretary Mohd Munir Bani who had sent a letter to the MB’s private secretary with an attached letter dated Dec 10 to Ramli.

Chief secretary Sidek had said the expectation was that Ramli, as the state government’s chief of staff, would inform the MB. Ramli did not.

Ramli, in his defence, yesterday said he was told the MB had already been informed.

Furthermore, said Ramli, he had not  told the excos about the sultan's letter consenting to Khusrin's appointment as he assumed the matter was embargoed though it had already been officially intimated to the MB.

Faekah, however, said both the chief secretary and the former state secretary’s statements are “clearly” wrong.

“There was no letter, either from the chief secretary or Ramli,” she said.

An act of political sabotage

Rather than prolonging the debacle surrounding Ramli and his replacement Khusrin, Faekah said that federal government agencies can ensure a resolution of the issue by making honesty and professionalism the basis of its relations with the Pakatan Rakyat-held Selangor government.

As such, there is no need for BN-led federal government agencies and its spokesperson to continue peddling such lines as that claiming that Khalid was late in submitting the names of shortlisted candidates for the position of state secretary.

The Selangor government wishes to administer the state professionally and effectively “without being motivated to play political games in the issue of administration or to politicise certain issues”, said Faekah.

“For this reason, when facts have been distorted and made to contradict the available evidence, it becomes the responsibility of the MB to clarify.

“It is abundantly clear that the act of the federal government in appointing the state secretary without consulting with the menteri besar is an act of political sabotage. It is such arbitrary acts that caused confusion and led to the problem we have today,” said Faekah.

'Federal government caused confusion'

Faekah also praised the sultan for his statement on Jan 6 that she said reflected his sincerity when he alluded to certain quarters manipulating his statements and causing confusion among the people.
 
“The Selangor government is ready to work with any party that is sincere in struggling to fulfill the welfare of the people.

“If the federal government had respected the spirit of federalism and understand the wishes of the people who had chosen the government of Selangor of today, surely they would not have chosen a state secretary without consulting with the MB that the people had chosen.

“The MB hopes the chief secretary and the SPA generally is able to work together to settle the matter soon. There is no need to prolong the issue by raising other claims, such as that the MB was late in submitting names, and so on.

“The MB believes that by acting professionally and sincerely, this issue can be resolved.”