Khusrin begins duties as Selangor state secretary - The fall of S'gor starts?

Khusrin begins duties as Selangor state secretary

UPDATED @ 11:02:02 AM 03-01-2011

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

January 03, 2011

Khusrin at his desk in Shah Alam this morning, January 3, 2011. — Picture by Jack Ooi

SHAH ALAM, Jan 3 — New Selangor state secretary Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi confirmed today that he has begun his official duties despite a raging dispute between Putrajaya and Shah Alam over his appointment.

Khusrin said that his first day at work was “problem-free” so far, and that the Selangor government did not object to him reporting for duty.

“I have already clocked in, I came to my office and reported for duty at 6.45am today. There is no problem so far, no problem at all,” said Mohd Khusrin.

The country’s richest state has been in turmoil for the past week since the Chief Secretary to the Government named Mohd Khusrin to the post to replace outgoing State Secretary Datuk Ramli Mahmud, whose last day of office was on Friday.

The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government has rejected to Mohd Khusrin; and insists it has the right to name its own person for the job.

The conservative former director of the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) is known to be at odds with the PR state government.

The Sultan of Selangor overrode Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s objection and approved Mohd Khusrin’s appointment.

The state Ruler has will hear the civil officer’s take his oath of loyalty at a palace ceremony on January 6, which is expected to be boycotted by the state PR lawmakers.

Khalid has also indicated that he will not accept Mohd Khusrin’s oath of secrecy before him, which is required of all top state civil officers before they can start their duties.

An aide to the MB told reporters that the state government had not been given any orders to stop the state secretary from reporting for duty.

The aide also pointed out however that Mohd Khusrin had yet to report to Khalid, and that the Selangor MB had yet to arrive.

“We have not been asked. No directives to do anything.

“But I would like to know who he reported to for duty. He (Mohd Khusrin) should report to MB, and MB only clocks in 8.30-9am.

“He can come in, but whether he works for us or not, that’s a different thing,” said the aide, who did not want to be named.

It is understood that Mohd Khusrin will be having a press conference later today on his appointment but no details were given.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the Selangor MB will be seeking an audience with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah at his Istana Mestika residence at 11am today to address the state government’s objection to Mohd Khusrin’s appointment.