Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today explained that Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyperson Azmin Ali (below) was not appointed as an exco member because as Selangor PKR chief he should focus on the party.

He said the same applied for Meru state assemblyperson Abdul Rani Osman, who is also Selangor PAS chief.

NONE"Most of their time (party leaders) will focused on political activities to promote the party as opposed to spending time on state’s executive duties.

"The selection (of exco members) is based on capacity and time. When you are an exco member, you also spend a lot more time on the execution of programmes of the state," he said in Petaling Jaya today.

Abdul Khalid added that the party chiefs were nominated for the exco positions, but were regarded as lower priority during the selection as it was based on the availability of their time in committing themselves to the posts.

The new Selangor exco, which was sworn in last Thursday, comprises four PAS representatives and three PKR and DAP representatives respectively.

PAS and DAP won 15 state seats in Selangor each, while PKR bagged 14 seats in the general election last month.

‘We work as one team’

Abdul Khalid added that the issue of DAP needing to be compensated in other forms due to being under-represented in the exco line-up compare to PAS and PKR did not arise.

NONE"I think when you are in the exco, everybody recognise that you work as one team. I think that was what we did in the first term.

"Everyone of them will have an opportunity to contribute as part of the team," he said.

In a separate development, Abdul Khalid said PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution (right) was appointed Selangor political liaison officer as he had the time and capacity to execute such duties.

He added he was prepared to consider PAS' request for the party, as well as partner DAP, to be given similar posts.

"If there are those from DAP or PAS who have the capacity like Saifuddin, we will consider them," he said.