GEORGE TOWN, Aug 1 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (pic) has expressed the party’s full support for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to become Selangor’s next menteri besar (MB).
Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said Pakatan Rakyat parties would meet on Aug 10 and among the main agenda was to discuss whether a woman could become MB.
He said, according to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PKR’s proposal was met with rejection by certain quarters because of Dr Wan Azizah’s gender.
“During the Pakatan meeting, we need to clear the first hurdle by getting all leaders from PKR, DAP and PAS to say they do not object to a woman assuming the post of MB.
“Let us take our stand to prove that we are inclusive, and we support diversity,” he told reporters here today.
Lim also questioned where it was stated in the Constitution that a woman could not become MB.
It was widely reported earlier that various opinions were raised by leaders of PKR, PAS and DAP – partners of Pakatan Rakyat – following the PKR decision to replace the current Selangor MB (Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) with Dr Wan Azizah.
Denying that PAS was in the midst of breaking away from the Pakatan coalition over the feud pertaining to the post, Lim urged all leaders not to be distracted by PKR’s proposal to nominate Dr Wan Azizah (for the post).
It was reported last month that PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had openly declared support for Abdul Khalid to remain as MB, despite Anwar’s announcement that the Opposition Pact Leadership Council had accepted PKR’s proposal to replace Abdul Khalid with Dr Wan Azizah.
— BERNAMA
