Zaid Ibrahim likely to take over Kelantan party

Zaid is expected to announce his new party early next month. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Former PKR deputy presidential contender Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has been in discussion to take over the tiny Kelantan-based party Malaysian People's Justice Front or Akim which would be relaunched as his new political platform.

Akim president Zakaria Salleh told The Malaysian Insider he was willing to let Zaid take over the party presidency.

It is understood that apart from Akim, the former Umno minister has also been meeting with leaders representing other dormant parties.

“Datuk Zaid has expressed his willingness to join Akim, so we will welcome his admission into the party,” said Zakaria when contacted.

“We have discussed the direction, and the party the leadership has agreed to accept Zaid. He has no personal interest, which we think is his strength,” he added.

Zakaria said he was willing to resign as party president if Zaid wishes to contest the post at the Akim annual general meeting next week.

“If Zaid wants to contest the party presidency, I would step aside for him.

“Why am I willing to hand over the presidency to Zaid? Because I think he is a capable leader who can take Akim forward,” he added.

Meanwhile, sources close to Zaid confirmed that the former law minister had met with Akim leaders and an official announcement on his new party would be made early next month.

“Many leaders of dormant parties including Akim have met with Datuk Zaid. Datuk Zaid will make an announcement, maybe early next month,” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Forming a new party is not easy, it may take one to two years, so most probably Zaid would join an existing party, a dormant party as his platform,” he added.

Zaid had said early this month about the need of a new political party and described existing parties as “unwilling to make a stand on defending fundamental principles.”

Akim was founded in 1995 but has been unable to make any impact, even in Kelantan which has been under PAS rule since 1990.

In 2008, the party contested in the Permatang Pauh by-election but its candidate Hanafi Mamat lost his deposit when he obtained only 92 votes.

Akim faced a leadership crisis recently but was resolved after intervention by the Registrar of Societies which later confirmed its registration status on December 1.

For the next general election, Akim plans to contest in all parliamentary and state constituencies in Kelantan.

“In Kelantan, we will field our candidates in all parliamentary and state seats, while for other states we are still in discussion,” said Zakaria. - Malaysian Insider