Saiful's father to join PKR

Saiful Bukhari Azlan's father is set to join opposition party PKR after submitting his membership application form to the party secretariat in Petaling Jaya today.

Saiful (left in photo) had alleged that Anwar Ibrahim had sodomised him but the Opposition leader was acquitted of the charge in January last year.

"I have always been a grassroots supporter (of PKR) all along and now I shall join under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim, to work for change," Azlan Mohd Lazim told reporters in a press conference at PKR headquarters after handing in the form.

He also apologised to Saiful if his act of joining the party may appear as a betrayal of his own flesh and blood.

"I have no intention to victimise him. He is still my son. My love for him and all my children are absolute."

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution was on hand to receive Azlan's application form.

"On behalf of PKR I accept his application, and I shall forward it to the Political Bureau for discussion," said the party official.

Saifuddin who is also Machang MP, then ceremonially helped put on an official party jacket on Azlan.

Azlan had come out with a statement three days ago saying that his son and himself has been used by "a person within the prime minister's office" to smear Anwar.

Saiful had in turn has labeled his father another pawn in Anwar's political games but upheld his filial respect for his father.

Quizzed on timing

Quizzed about the details of his revelation that he and his son were being used, and the timing of his disclosure and joining PKR, so close the upcoming polls, Azlan refused comment, but asked reporters to refer to his previous statement as everything had already touched upon.

"As a Malaysian, I reserve the right to choose and decide on my actions," he said, adding that the fact that he joined PKR is just a "coincidence" and would not have been made much off if he had joined "the other side".

When allegations of him being on PKR payroll were broached, he dismissed them.

"I can't stop people from slandering me. Let them say what they want," said Azlan.

Also present were PKR MPs Khalid Samad (Shah Alam), Abdullah Sani (Hulu Selangor), Johari Abdul (Sungai Petani) and Pakatan friendly Beaufort parliamentarian Lajim Ukin.

PKR under Anwar is well known for their ability to approach and recruit unlikely personalities to join their ranks, their abilities to 'turn' once enemies or nuetral figures into assets, insiders have mentioned, are a key strategy to their campaigning, paired with their skill at digging out controversies involving the ruling coalition.

Lajim himself, along with fellow Sabah MP Wilfred Bumburing of Tuaran, are both now Pakatan friendly independents, being one of PKR's successes in flipping once enemies into their camp.