PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has called on Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to stop misusing state powers to act against political rivals.

Referring to the sacking of more than 20 contract employees by a Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) subsidiary, Azmin said the move was "grossly inhumane" and must be reversed.

“I call upon the powers concerned to immediately revoke the dismissal letters and apologise to the people of Selangor for such an inconsiderate and high-handed action.

"In the interest of justice and good governance, Abdul Khalid must stop using PKNS as a personal weapon against his perceived political rivals," he said in a statement.

Azmin, who is also Selangor PKR chief, was removed from the PKNS board of directors last month in an open spat between the Khalid and Azmin factions.

Yesterday, Khalid (right) said the highly-paid contract workers were let go because of redundancies and that some were hired only on the recommendation of the PKNS board.

The workers' contracts had been terminated on 24-hour notices and compensation was given according to their respective contracts.

Azmin, who signed off the short letter in his capacity as PKR deputy president, also said that the PKNS sacking went against the spirit of the Pakatan-led state government.

'Against principles of S'gor Pakatan'

"It is completely against the principles espoused by the Pakatan Rakyat government of Selangor that all employees must be treated with dignity and compassion," he said.

Azmin then countered the two-term MB's assertion yesterday that he was "not heartless" as some of the sacked employees had been given up to two months' full salary.

"While the sudden dismissal is harsh and will cause great financial loss to the employees, a severance pay of two months' salary only adds insult to injury," Azmin said.

A rift was seen opening up again last month when Azmin had also suddenly been given the sack from the PKNS board of directors before his term was due to end in 2015.

PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim (left) weighed in on Azmin's side when he told a press conference that the decision to sack Azmin was flawed, and urged the MB to immediately withdraw the notice.

A week later, PKR unveiled the ‘Kajang move’ which saw Anwar offering himself for a vacated state assembly seat, leading many to speculation that the federal opposition leader was muscling in on Khalid's menteri besar position, which the latter has held for over five years.

Both Khalid and Anwar have publicly denied that the ‘Kajang move’ is primarily about internal PKR politics.