Four of the mainstream newspapers in Malaysia painted their own respective pictures today on the appointment of Azmin Ali as the new menteri besar of Selangor.

Malay dailies Utusan Malaysia and Sinar Harian contradicted each other in their headlines, with Sinar Harian choosing to highlight Azmin’s praises of former menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim while Utusan reported that Azmin was "criticised".

Sinar Harian reported the PKR deputy president as being full of praises for Khalid and how he ran the state government during his time, which focused on the people.

The Utusan headline was harsher, focusing more on Azmin’s criticism of Khalid’s last decision, which was the removal of Anwar Ibrahim as the state economic adviser.

English publication New Straits Times with its headline ‘Bitterness over Azmin’ chose to emphasise the treatment the new menteri besar received from his party as well as from other Pakatan leaders on his appointment.

NST said Azmin had been receiving a “cold shoulder” treatment from leaders of his party online, including Anwar and DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, who did not send any congratulatory message to the new menteri besar.

However, The Star portrayed a more proactive picture of Azmin, with the headline, ‘I’ll get cracking’, with the  MCA-owned daily’s report saying that among Azmin’s priorities as the new menteri besar will be to reduce crime rates and dengue cases in Selangor.