Uproar in Selangor assembly as Azmin questions Umno's status post-GE15

Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman Mohamed Azmin Ali today questioned the position of opposition leader in the Selangor state assembly, saying no final word had been made on the issue since the cooperation forged between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN). 

Azmin, of Perikatan Nasional, raised the issue to speaker Ng Suee Lim following his remarks to the media that there had been no appointment of opposition leader as the incumbent Rizam Ismail from Umno had yet to submit his resignation. 

He also urged Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari to explain Umno's position in the state assembly given that the party was now part of the federal government led by PH. 

He said Umno representatives in Selangor were still receiving allocations as opposition members, not members of the government.

He said this showed that the position of the Selangor government was not in line with the federal administration led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

"If they are part of the government, they haven't received allocations as government members yet," he said. 

"They are still receiving allocations as members of the opposition. It is said that this is a Madani government. Where are the values of courtesy and justice? The opposition leader is still from Umno. This is a crazy age, an age of insanity." 

Azmin, the former Selangor menteri besar, also said that the appointments of councilors in 12 local authorities did not involve representatives from Umno or BN.

He was interrupted by Sungai Panjang assemblyman Imran Tamrin, of Umno, who said the matter should be settled by parties with locus standi before a stand is made. 

"This includes the position of opposition leader and the Umno communications chairman," he said. 

"Let the position be categorised as status quo until a decision is made."  

An uproar then arose after Azmin mocked Umno which he said had been well behaved since mending ties with its long-time foe DAP. 

"Umno is so well behaved now," he said. "Since it has made up with DAP, it bows its head to everything without daring to speak up." 

His comments sparked a heated reaction from several government assemblymen who urged him to retract them. 

He also questioned how the menteri besar would be fair to the people of Selangor if he could not be fair to the party's partners in the state.