Ignore Wak Khusrin

As former director of Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) Khusrin Munawi reports for duty today as the new state secretary following his controversial appointment, former PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali said the state administration could choose to just ignore his presence.

 

Khusrin is scheduled to take his oath of office before Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim on Thursday, in spite of strong objection from the latter that he had not been consulted by the Federal government who named Khusrin.

Syed Husin, who is Dewan Negara senator from Selangor, however said the state government "could function without him (Khusrin) doing his official duty".

Earlier, constitutional law expert Dr Abdul Aziz Bari said Khusrin's appointment was questionable and said the law favoured the state government and the MB, suggesting that the Pakatan Rakyat government bring the matter to court.

“Under the state constitution, the power to appoint the ex-officio members of the exco — including the State Secretariat — is with the Sultan.  But he (the Sultan) has to consider the names submitted by the relevant service commission; and before he does that, the Sultan must consider the advice of the MB,” Aziz was quoted by online news portal The Malaysian Insider.

A doubtful Syed Husin however said the country's biased judiciary meant there was no hope to solve the impasse through the courts.

“The state constitution favours MB, he (Aziz) said. But what guarantee for the court to favour him (MB)? No assurance justice will be meted, even if Prof Aziz opines Constitution favours MB on state secretary issue," he wrote on Twitter.

'Sabotage'

Meanwhile, Khalid accused the government's Chief Secretary Sidek Hassan, who announced Khusrin's appointment, of being "unconstitutional, irresponsible and unprofessional".

“In naming Khusrin Munawi, the chief secretary has disregarded the selection process which is in line with the civil service practice notes as prepared by the state civil service commission which seeks advice from the public civil service at the federal level.

Needless to say, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek’s acts are unconstitutional, irresponsible and unprofessional which can be construed as a political act in an attempt to sabotage the credibility of the Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor,” Khalid said in a statement.

Khusrin's staunchly pro-UMNO stance on administration matters did not site well with state leaders.

The state government was also delivered a blow by palace officials, who had effectively shut the door on Khalid who wanted to seek an audience with the Sultan. The Sultan's private secretary however said the decision to give consent to Khusrin's appointment was final.

Kerajaan Negeri Selangor tidak mahu terlibat dalam sebarang bentuk majlis atau keraian berkaitan jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan (SUK) negeri sehingga penyelesaian muktamad dicapai antara kerajaan negeri dan Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA).

Demikian dinyatakan oleh Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim pada sidang media di sini, sebentar tadi.

Berikut kenyataan penuh Tan Sri Khalib Ibrahim, Menteri Besar Selangor.

Saya telah mengadap DYMM Sultan Selangor hari ini bagi membincangkan isu pelantikan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri.

DYMM Sultan Selangor telah berpandangan bahawa Baginda tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk menerima atau menolak calon-calon yang dicadangkan oleh Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA).

Ini kerana kuasa itu telah ditarik balik pada 1993 iaitu selepas krisis Perlembagaan berlaku yang mana Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor turut dipinda bagi memusatkan kuasa persekutuan.

DYMM Sultan Selangor mencadangkan supaya kerajaan negeri mengadakan perbincangan dengan SPA untuk mencari penyelesaian terbaik. Saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada DYMM Sultan atas nasihat dan pandangan baginda.

Justeru itu, demi kebaikan Negeri Selangor dan menjunjung titah Tuanku, Kerajaan negeri akan menulis surat kepada SPA bagi membincangkan semula calon yang layak, sesuai dan berkebolehan untuk mengisi jawatan tersebut.

Sehingga penyelesaian muktamad dicapai antara kerajaan negeri dan SPA, maka kerajaan negeri tidak mahu terlibat dalam sebarang bentuk majlis atau keraian berkaitan jawatan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri.

Ini bermakna majlis angkat sumpah di hadapan Menteri Besar tidak akan diadakan dan Dato’ Khusrin Munawi tidak akan hadir pada sebarang Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri  dan Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Negeri Selangor sebagai ex-officio.

Pada masa yang sama, Kerajaan Negeri akan mencadangkan kepada Dato’ Speaker untuk mengadakan sidang Dewan Negeri Selangor tergempar bagi meminda Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor untuk mengembalikan kuasa pelantikan tiga pegawai eksekutif iaitu Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Pegawai Kewangan dan Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri kepada Sultan dan Menteri Besar.