Kajang Move

The move was initiated by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Strategy Director, then Vice President cum Secretary General, Rafizi Ramli.

Pakatan Rakyat, led by PKR's Anwar Ibrahim were in opposition at a federal level; the Barisan Nasional coalition had governed Malaysia since its independence.

Rafizi Ramli, in a blog post to justify the "Kajang Move", stated that the manoeuvre would be the "game changer" in the quest of the Pakatan Rakyat to win government nationally.

Anwar's election would have enabled him to take a seat in the State Assembly of Selangor, and possibly replace Khalid Ibrahim, a fellow PKR member, in the position of Menteri Besar.

[8][9] Barisan Nasional, which formed the opposition in the Selangor Assembly, named MCA vice president and former Petaling Jaya Utara MP Chew Mei Fun as their candidate.

On 4 August, Party secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail released a 40-page document highlighting some court cases which questioned Khalid's personal integrity.

[38] Wan Azizah said she accepted and endorsed the Selangor Sultan's decision to appoint PKR deputy president Azmin Ali 'with an open heart'.

[42][43] Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, on the other hand, accused Pakatan Rakyat of attempting nepotism in Selangor by nominating Anwar's wife as Menteri Besar.

The head of the International Relations and Politics department in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Dr Arnold Puyok, said the Kajang Move had taken a toll on both Pakatan Rakyat and the Selangor people.

Independent analyst Khoo Kay Peng, on the other hand, said the architect of the Kajang Move, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli, would still insist the strategy's success in removing Khalid.

[57] Monash University political scientist Prof James Chin said the Kajang Move to remove Khalid failed as bickering among the PR leaders continued.

[60] An analysis by The Malay Mail columnist, Zainal Epi, stated that a new problem had emerged as the relationship shared by PAS, DAP and PKR is no longer cordial and had become tense.

[61] Zefry Dahalan, columnist for Free Malaysia Today said that the political rift in Pakatan Rakyat cause by the Kajang Move would remain until the next general election.

[62] Joceline Tan, columnist with The Star concluded that the toughest challenge for the new Menteri Besar would be to match the clean record set by his predecessor.