PAS Steering Committee Not Interfering With Kedah PKR & DAP

KUALA LUMPUR: Kedah state executive councillor S.Manikumar said the Pas steering committee does not interfere in Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP’s role in the state administration.

Manikumar who is PKR Bukit Selambau assemblyman was commenting on Kedah MCA chairman Datuk Chong Itt Chew statement that the formation of the steering committee in the Pas-led Kedah government made both PKR and DAP voiceless in state executive council (exco) meetings.

Chong in the MCA website said Kedah will lose its sovereignty as such a committee with veto powers is against the state constitution and it sidelines the Mentri Besar (Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak) and the Kedah exco in decision-making and policy implementation.

Speaking to The Mole, Manikumar said” “The steering committee is only involved in the affairs of the Mentri Besar and Pas exco’s.’’

“It will only challenge Pas leaders in the state government who may be accused of any form of wrongdoing.’’

The committee was formed by Pas Kedah to monitor any issues, problems and misdeeds in the state government while not limiting the powers of its Mentri Besar.

“There has also been no disputes between Pas, PKR and DAP since the formation and role of the steering committee in the state government.”

“When the role of a PKR or DAP state exco is questioned in the state government, the Pakatan Rakyat Council secretariat will deal with such matters, “he explained.

Manikumar previously said the Pas committee is an advisory body to the state but at the end of the day, the Mentri Besar makes the final decision.

Prior to this, Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang said he is worried that the state government is fast transforming into becoming like the Ulama councils (council of clerics) of Afghanistan and Iran.

He said the Ulama councils in Afghanistan and Iran are more powerful than the government and have the final say on almost everything in both countries.

Tan also said Pas is using the formation of a steering committee as an excuse to form some sort of council to take over the role of Azizan as Mentri Besar.

In his blog, Tan wrote that an attempt to change the administration structure by Pas in Kedah should not happen under the pre-text of solving internal conflicts amongst Pas leaders.

By: Cecilia Victor; Graphics By: Dayang Norazhar/The Mole

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