Rebel PKR rep prods party to quit Penang gov't, expel DAP and Amanah

PKR's Sungai Acheh assemblyperson Zulkifli Ibrahim, who is speculated to be leaving the party, had prodded PKR to quit the DAP-led Penang government and expel DAP and Amanah from the PKR-led Negeri Sembilan and Selangor governments for allegedly "betraying" PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

Zulkifli's "spirited defence" of Anwar came weeks after he personally berated the PKR supremo of not being a "gentleman" following his meeting with Anwar being exposed, which he claimed was made to look like he was "buying insurance" after already being offered a position by the Perikatan Nasional-led federal government.

"As a party with principles, PKR must take a strong position and condemn the Harapan components who appear ungrateful.

"I am of the view that based on principles and idealism, it is compulsory that PKR immediately pulls out of the Penang government due to DAP and Amanah's refusal to support Anwar as the prime ministerial candidate.

"Furthermore, PKR should expel DAP and Amanah assemblypersons from the state governments in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan," he said in a Facebook post.

Earlier today, Zulkifli confirmed that he and assemblypersons from Umno, PAS and Bersatu had been in discussion with Seberang Jaya assemblyperson Afif Bahardin, a key ally of International Trade and International Minister Azmin Ali.

However, Zulkifli was tight-lipped on the contents of the meeting.

PKR had suspended Afif for allegedly lobbying elected representatives from PKR to defect to PN.

The party had seen friction with its allies after Amanah and DAP pressed the party to consider disputed Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister if the coalition can recapture federal power.

Amanah and DAP said while they endorsed Anwar as the prime minister, he was unable to muster the necessary numbers to take over the government and Mahathir was the fallback option.

While Anwar struggled to gain enough support to form a majority, his party continued to see defections.

Anwar met with Zulkifli on June 3 to address his grievances, but the latter became upset after a photograph of the meeting was circulated on social media.

"It was supposed to be a closed-door meeting. I expressed all my concerns and Anwar failed to address almost all that was raised.

"He could only say all of them were small matters and not to be slighted. Instead, he tried to convince me that there would be a change in government and that he would become the next prime minister.

"It became clear Anwar was not a gentlemanly politician after the meeting," he said in a separate Facebook post on June 6 to complain about the meeting being exposed.

He said the move was aimed to make it appear as if he was shifting positions.

"For information, before the meeting, I was informed that I had been nominated to sit on the Farmers' Organisation Authority where the position would be very strategic for me the farmers in the country, particularly in Seberang Perai Selatan and the Sungai Acheh constituency where many are engaged in agriculture he said.

The Farmers' Organisation Authority is a federal entity under the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry.

The Harapan government collapsed in late February Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin pulled his party out of the coalition government.

Muhyiddin was sworn in as the new prime minister on March 1, after Mahathir refused to lead the new coalition he put together, comprising Bersatu, PKR defectors, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and Star. - Mkini