Saifuddin an ‘asset’ to PKR, says Wan Azizah after Ku Nan’s outburst

PKR's Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail hails Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, saying the latter could be fielded as a party candidate at the next polls. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Ahmad Muslim, October 16, 2015.

PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today stressed that Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah was an "asset" to the party, following the Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general's outburst yesterday calling the former Umno deputy minister "rubbish".

Saifuddin joined PKR yesterday, prompting Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to describe him a liability and "rubbish".

"That's his opinion. He can say whatever he wants. For us, he (Saifuddin) is an asset," Wan Azizah told reporters at the PKR headquarters today.

She also said the idea of fielding the former Temerloh MP for the seat again under a PKR ticket is "somewhere on the cards".

She said, however, that the party would like to avoid three-cornered fights if possible.

PAS, who are not in the new opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan, contested the seat against BN in the last general election, with Nasrudin Hassan defeating Saifuddin.

"We are keeping our options open," Dr Wan Azizah  said.

Saifuddin, 54, cited Putrajaya's handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and the RM2.6 billion deposited into the prime minister's personal accounts as reasons for his decision to join PKR.

He also attributed his departure from the Malay ruling party to the lack of will to embark on political change and institutional reform – two causes that he said were close to his heart.

His departure from Umno was met with derision from Tengku Adnan who said the party would not be affected by it because the former Supreme Council member lost in the last general election.

"Saifuddin has been with us and used to be an MP for Temerloh. We put him in the last round and he lost. There must be some problem with him.

"Even the rakyat of Temerloh don't want him, so you (PKR) can take him. We don't want him. We don't want all this rubbish in Umno," Tengku Adnan said yesterday.

- TMI