BUTTERWORTH - Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is no alternative for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said DAP chairman Karpal Singh.
“Razaleigh had the opportunity (to serve) in the Opposition via Semangat 46.
“But he returned to Umno, and after that only his Umno division nominated him to go for the party presidency's post against (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak,” he said in an interview yesterday.
He said that even when several PKR Members of Parliament (MP) deserted Anwar and left Pakatan Rakyat, DAP and PAS did not ask for the Opposition leader's post and wanted it to remain with Anwar.
“Without Anwar, the Opposition and the nation would not have witnessed the political tsunami during the March 2008 general election.
Earlier, when speaking at the naming of a new road in Raja Uda after DAP stalwart, the late P. Patto, Karpal Singh said, in his view, Razaleigh should not attempt to take over Anwar's place as Opposition Leader.
Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim created the stir when he posted in his blog that Pakatan was wooing Tengku Razaleigh to be the next Opposition Leader.
On Patto, the former Bagan MP who died in 1995 of a heart attack at the age of 48 shortly after winning the seat, Karpal said he was a man who could mesmerise crowds.
Patto was a teacher who went on to become Perak state assemblyman for Gopeng, MP for Menglembu before winning the Bagan seat.
He said Patto was proficient in English and a Chinese dialect, adding that former deputy prime minister Tun Ghafar Baba had once remarked in Parliament that Patto's Malay was par excellent.
Patto's wife, S. Amalapovamary, a founding secretary of Wanita DAP, was present with her two daughters, Kasthuri Raani, 31, and Shaalini Anne, 29.
Shaalini said the family was thankful for the honour.
- The Star
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