KLANG: DAP’s MP for Klang Charles Santiago said Khalid Ibrahim’s
insistence on signing Selangor’s water restructuring deal before the
week is up was illegal.
He said this was so because Khalid had lost the majority support of the state assembly in regard to his post as Selangor Menteri Besar.
Santiago said, “Although the Selangor Sultan has asked him to stay on till a replacement is found, it still does not warrant for the need to rush through with inking the final agreement.”
Santiago also said Khalid “taking pot shots” at him with “lame accusations” only undermined further his current position which he referred to as being “even weaker than that of a caretaker MB”.
The DAP man was referring to Khalid’s remarks that Santiago did not have a clear understanding of the water issue in Selangor and that his talk about the deal being illegal was “not benefitting the people at all”.
Santiago however was adamant that the Perak MB crisis that was similar to the one in Selangor should be used as a precedent.
He stated, “When the former Perak MB, Nizar Jamaluddin, refused to resign his post, Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria said he cannot continue to govern after losing majority support and that to do so would be tantamount to going against the principles of democracy.”
Santiago rationalised that alone was sufficient for the Attorney-General (AG) to intervene and stop the signing of the water deal from taking place.
“Given the severity of this issue, the AG should advise the federal government that the final water restructuring agreement, scheduled to be signed on Friday, might be illegal,” he said.
Santiago also cautioned that signing the deal now with Khalid would cause problems later when the replacement MB takes over.
He explained, “Any third party who therefore enters into such contracts should take notice that a future state government may take the position that such contracts are not legally binding and act accordingly.”
He said this was so because Khalid had lost the majority support of the state assembly in regard to his post as Selangor Menteri Besar.
Santiago said, “Although the Selangor Sultan has asked him to stay on till a replacement is found, it still does not warrant for the need to rush through with inking the final agreement.”
Santiago also said Khalid “taking pot shots” at him with “lame accusations” only undermined further his current position which he referred to as being “even weaker than that of a caretaker MB”.
The DAP man was referring to Khalid’s remarks that Santiago did not have a clear understanding of the water issue in Selangor and that his talk about the deal being illegal was “not benefitting the people at all”.
Santiago however was adamant that the Perak MB crisis that was similar to the one in Selangor should be used as a precedent.
He stated, “When the former Perak MB, Nizar Jamaluddin, refused to resign his post, Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria said he cannot continue to govern after losing majority support and that to do so would be tantamount to going against the principles of democracy.”
Santiago rationalised that alone was sufficient for the Attorney-General (AG) to intervene and stop the signing of the water deal from taking place.
“Given the severity of this issue, the AG should advise the federal government that the final water restructuring agreement, scheduled to be signed on Friday, might be illegal,” he said.
Santiago also cautioned that signing the deal now with Khalid would cause problems later when the replacement MB takes over.
He explained, “Any third party who therefore enters into such contracts should take notice that a future state government may take the position that such contracts are not legally binding and act accordingly.”
