PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat today said his party’s decision to suggest that two names be presented as Selangor menteri besar replacement candidates was made after president Abdul Hadi Awang’s audience with the sultan.

Defending the decision, Suhaizan (right) said that this was to avoid “any eventualities” which could see the palace reject PKR’s sole candidate Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“The president has a good relationship with the Selangor palace. On the fourth day of the Islamic month of Syawal (July 31), he was called for an audience with the sultan.

“As a result of the audience, the president decided that an alternative name should be presented in anticipation of any eventualities involving the palace and Wan Azizah,” he said in a statement today.

He added that the decision to name PKR deputy president Azmin Ali as an alternate candidate was a “middle path” chosen by the party as PAS did not want to sour ties with its Pakatan Rakyat partners.

“PAS could easily name its member as an alternative to Wan Azizah, but this was a decision PAS did not do due to loyalty to Pakatan,” he said.

Why PAS changed course

Suhaizan also countered claims that PAS had “U-turned” by dropping its support for sitting MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, or that it had kowtowed to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim by backing Wan Azizah.

He said that PAS had on last Sunday opted to back Wan Azizah (left), despite an earlier decision by the syura council to support Khalid, as “the original path was ruined” when Khalid was sacked.

He said that PAS had initially backed Khalid due to his capability in governing the state, and saw allegations of his "political weaknesses" as an internal PKR matter which the party can resolve on its own.

But when Khalid was sacked from PKR, he no longer represented Pakatan, said Suhaizan, and PAS’ cooperation is "with PKR and DAP and not Khalid alone".

The syura council decision backing Khalid was on Aug 7 - a week after Abdul Hadi met the sultan - while Khalid was sacked from PKR on Aug 9.

"So we opted for a new path to reject Khalid. This shows PAS dynamism in decision-making," Suhaizan said.

He also reiterated the party’s explanation that the aim of its four members are still in the Selangor executive council led by MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is to “save the Selangor government” from collapsing before a new MB is appointed.

"A minimum of four exco members is required for a government to stand and the four PAS exco members are playing this part," he said.

"We will defend the Pakatan coalition against Umno/BN for sake of all Malaysians."


Selangor crisis today

8.21am: Social media analysis agency Politweet says PKR's move to oust Khalid backfired online

12.56pm: PKR declines to reveal its plans if sultan rejects Wan Azizah

1.51pm: Analyst says Pakatan parties 'forced to be friends' after the crisis

2.22pm: MB apologises for the crisis, says the attacks against him is a price he has to pay to uphold integrity

2.35pm: JAG, a coalition of women NGOs, says Wan Azizah unfairly criticised because of gender

3.25pm: Lim Kit Siang urges Pakatan leaders to meet on how to regain trust after MB crisis

3.42pm: Former Selangor exco member Rodziah Ismail says news portal defamed her by claiming she resigned as part of a 'deal'

6pm: PAS reveals it mooted Azmin Ali as an alternate MB candidate after its president Abdul Hadi Awang met sultan