With calls for Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to quit echoing louder by the
day, political observers and party leaders are already pondering on the
possible candidates to replace the embattled Selangor menteri besar.
The heat is on Abdul Khalid especially after he lost the bid for the
Kuala Selangor PKR division head's post with the state Pakatan Rakyat
members PAS and DAP also joining the tirade against the menteri besar.
PKR Youth Chief and Bukit Katil Parliament member Shamsul Iskandar
Mohd Akin is reported to have said that Abdul Khalid's loss in Kuala
Selangor is a testimony that the grassroots have indicated that its time
for him to go.
His party compatriot, the Kuala Langat Parliament Member Abdullah
Sani Abdul Hamid had requested the menteri besar to heed to the voice of
the grassroots for the sake of the party.
And on Sunday night, rumours went viral through numerous mediums that
Abdul Khalid would meet Selangor's Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah at the
palace on Monday morning to hand over his resignation letter.
Who would replace Khalid?
Now the question is, who could replace Abdul Khalid as the menteri besar?
Among the names that political observers do not rule out are PKR
President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also the Kajang state
assemblywoman, and PKR's Deputy President Mohamed Azmin Ali who is the
state assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa?
Political observers see that in the event Abdul Khalid falls out of
favour and Mohamed Azmin fails to muster strong support within Pakatan
Rakyat, then Dr Wan Azizah is set to become the new menteri besar.
However, Malaysia has yet to see a state headed by a woman and
therefore is there really a chance for Dr Wan Azizah to become the
menteri besar?
Commenting on this, the head of the Politics, Security and
International Relations Cluster of the National professor Council (MPN)
prof Mohamed Mustafa Ishak said there is nothing to stop a woman from
being appointed as the menteri besar.
"The laws of setting up the Selangor state government does not
mention in detail on the gender of the person appointed as the menteri
besar, except that the person has to be a Malay and a Muslim.
"The menteri besar has to be someone of integrity, has the command of
the majority in the state assembly and the appointment consented by the
Sultan," he said.
MB traditionally for men?
A law lecturer with Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) Associate
professor Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz, who concurred with Mohamed Mustafa,
said though gender is not a criteria in selecting a menteri besar, the
post has traditionally been held by men.

Wan Azizah
"There is nothing wrong from the legal viewpoint, but it breaks the
tradition of men holding the menteri besar's post. And there is nothing
wrong for a woman to take up the post of menteri besar, all that matters
is their merit and ability to administer the state.
"Though there is no legal restrictions, when things become difficult
and complicated, that is when it is important to have a man to lead a
state," she said.
Limitations
And in the event a woman is chosen as the menteri besar, will there
be any restrictions in her role especially in advising the sultan and in
officiating religious events?
Mohamed Mustafa explained that there has yet to be any precedence on
the matter and it was difficult to see of the problems ahead when a
woman takes over the post of menteri besar.
"A woman menteri besar will have to sit away from the sultan, and
during religious events including the launching of mosques and religious
function the woman menteri besar may have to delegate a male exco
member.
"This are among the complications that a women MB is set to face but
in advising the Sultan, I believe it should not be a problem," he said.
Shamrahayu said her personal views were that this is not something
that suits the Muslim norm where leadership positions were the men's
domain.
"It is undeniable that a woman can take on the role of a menteri
besar, only that it is not a norm for a woman to be in that position and
there can be some limitations on the nature of work she can undertake,"
she said.
In the 13th general election in May 2013, the Pakatan Rakyat won 44
of the 56 Selangor state assembly seats compared with 36 in 2008 with
PKR winning 14 seats, while PAS and DAP 15 seats each. BN won the
remaining 12 seats.
Meanwhile, a Social Science lecturer with Universiti Sains Malaysia
(USM), prof Ahmad Atory Hussain noted that whether it is Dr Wan Azizah
or Mohamed Azmin, it all depends on the sultan of Selangor.
Also the sultan may want Abdul Khalid to continue.
"If the sultan wants Abdul Khalid to continue, he will only hold the
menteri besar's post for a while and the sultan will see if he could
command support in the state assembly. If Abdul Khalid loses support, it
will lead to a crisis and his highness will intervene," he said to
Bernama.
Ahmad Atory said however, the sultan's consent is not an absolute
guarantee for any leader to hold on to their position as what is more
pertinent is the support of the people that would decide the leader's
fate.
- Bernama