According to script, Konsensus Bebas' Zulkifli Noordin has warned that his former party PKR stood to lose another "one or two MPs" who are expected to follow Zaid Ibrahim out of the party.
Trailing badly in the race for the PKR deputy presidency, Zaid had announced his intention to drop out of the contest. He also quit all his party posts in a move that many PKR stalwarts had slammed as childish and irresponsible.
But pundits also pointed out that Zaid had right from the start of the PKR direct election signalled his intention to wreck the party if he failed to win the No. 2 post.
His less than dream-team consisting of Padang Serai MP N Gobalakrishnan, Kapar MP S Manikavasagam and Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne have all previously indicated their support for him. But insiders do not believe they will go through with it and expect them to abandon Zaid.
"These are all the under performers and we have already been bracing for their exit. It may rattle the party a bit but it cannot be held ransom to these sort of people," a PKR veteran told Malaysia Chronicle.
Also read: Zaid and his less-than Dream Team
KUALA LUMPUR — Former PKR MP Zulkifli Noordin claimed today that there would be a fresh wave of defections from PKR, following Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s withdrawal from the party elections as well as all party posts.
The Kulim Bandar-Baharu MP said he was not surprised with the latest allegations of fraud and vote-rigging in PKR, stressing that Zaid’s move will prompt a similar response from “dissatisfied PKR leaders” who will follow Zaid’s lead in moving away from the party.
“There will be one or two MPs who will leave PKR very soon, and make announcements to become independents,” said Zulkifli.
The ex-Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmaker claimed the reason there appeared to be a concerted effort within PKR to take Zaid out of the party elections was because the former Umno law minister was an “obstacle” to Anwar’s ambition of becoming prime minister.
“Zaid has finally seen the truth, and his statements (on electoral fraud) prove that what Konsensus Bebas has been saying all this while. PKR is a party that is only geared towards enabling Anwar to take over Putrajaya. In this context we have to understand that Anwar has to ensure that he is successful, and his people will do anything, at all costs to realise his ambitions,” Zulkifli told reporters in Parliament today.
Zaid dropped a bombshell this morning when he announced he had decided to pull out from the fractious three-cornered race, blaming the party leadership for condoning electoral fraud and election malpractices.
He also resigned from all party posts, including his positions as PKR Federal Territories chief, PKR Wangsa Maju division chief and PKR political bureau member.
Amid the uproar his announcement had caused, Zaid maintained today that he would not back down from his decision and continued to voice disappointment over the party’s failure to address his concerns.
PKR has previously denied social activist Haris Ibrahim’s allegations of fraud in the party elections in the form of floating ballots being sold to help manipulate the ongoing PKR polls.
The party claimed that the ballot papers in Haris’ possession were from the previous weekend’s voting and no longer valid.
So far, a total of 68 divisions have participated in the party’s first-ever direct polls to elect its top leadership. Another nine divisions held their voting yesterday, with unofficial results showing Azmin Ali leading the pack for the party deputy presidency with 4,146 votes against Zaid’s 3,402 and Mustafa Kamil Ayub’s 1,189.
Today, Zulkifli added that if Zaid was still interested in a “reform agenda” he should consider joining another opposition party.
“I suggest to Zaid, if he is interested in reform agendas, change, join PAS. He will be sorely disappointed if he stays in PKR,” said the independent lawmaker.
Zulkilfi, along with four other former PKR MPs formed an independent pact called Konsensus Bebas earlier this year. The pact has been critical of PKR, particularly Anwar. The other four ex-PKR MPs had resigned from the party while Zulkilfi was sacked for breach of party discipline. - Malaysian Insider
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