Who is PN's Selangor MB candidate? Up to sultan, says Azmin

Selangor Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Mohamed Azmin Ali said yesterday that the decision on PN's candidate for the menteri besar post will be left to the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafudin Idris Shah, if the coalition successfully captures the state at the Aug 12 polls.

"It is up to the palace, as the power to appoint the menteri besar lies solely with the sultan.

"I am confident that His Highness will act in accordance with the constitution and the laws governing the state government," Azmin told reporters after a speech in Taman Melawati last night.

Azmin, who is leading PN's charge in Selangor, is contesting in Hulu Kelang against Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Juwairiya Zulkifli.

He said that PN would not preempt the authority of the Sultan of Selangor.

"What PN is doing is prioritising our goals, which are safeguarding the welfare of the people and revitalising the state's economy.

"We are not striving for power, but we want a mandate so that we can implement and formulate policies that are beneficial for the people and contribute to economic recovery," he said.

PN has yet to announce its candidate for the menteri besar position, while PH, through Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has said that it would retain incumbent Amirudin Shari as the menteri besar if it forms the state government after the polls.

Azmin previously served as Selangor menteri besar between 2014 and 2018, following the failure of the Kajang Move, in which PKR aimed to replace Khalid Ibrahim with the party's president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Azmin then nominated Amirudin as his successor after the former was appointed the economic affairs minister under the Dr Mahathir Mohamad-led PH administration.

Under his leadership, PH successfully won 51 out of 56 seats in the Selangor state legislative assembly in the 14th general election.

Selangor, along with Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan, have agreed to hold state polls at the same time after the six states did not dissolve their legislative assemblies prior to the 15th general election.