KLANG: Dangdut singer Herman Tino and rock queen Ella took to the stage to drum up support for the Sultan of Selangor, who has been dragged into the crisis concerning the seat of the Selangor Mentri Besar.
They joined a crowd, which claimed to represent 47 non-governmental organisations in favour of the Sultan’s stand on the issue, at the Padang Sultan Sulaiman here yesterday.
Herman, whose real name is Marsun Tamsi, and Ella, also known as Norzila Aminuddin, made a surprise appearance at the rally and hopped onto a makeshift stage to work up the assembly’s support for Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah with cheers of “Daulat Tuanku”.
Angkatan Rakyat Sedar president Abdul Rahim Wahab said they wanted to send a message to the leaders in the Pakatan Rakyat group to respect the decision of the Sultan.
“Gathered here today are members of 47 NGOs in support of the Sultan,” he said when met at the field where more than 250 had gathered.
The mentri besar crisis stemmed from a forced by-election in Kajang which PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had wanted to contest.
His attempt was foiled by a Court of Appeal ruling that overturned his acquittal in a sodomy case and sentencing him to five years in prison.
His wife Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail stood in the by-election and was elected the new state assemblyman in Kajang on March 23.
Anwar has since persuaded his allies in the PKR, DAP and PAS to only nominate his wife as the mentri besar candidate to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim who was sacked from the party for refusing to step down from office.
The Sultan, however, has asked each party in the Pakatan Rakyat to send more than two names for him to consider as the next mentri besar.
PAS has complied with the ruler’s directive but PKR and DAP have insisted on only nominating Dr Wan Azizah.
Abdul Rahim said those who assembled here preferred that Khalid be allowed to continue as mentri besar.
“However, should the Sultan wish to appoint someone new, we want someone born in Selangor,” he said, ruling out Dr Wan Azizah.
-thestar
