PKR’s Saifuddin Nasution says will sue defectors, insists Muhyiddin has no parliamentary majority

 

PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed the two defectors had been sacked from their posts. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — PKR said it would sue two of its former MPs, Larry Sng and Steven Choong, who defected to Perikatan Nasional (PN) today.

Party secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the duo have been sacked as the respective Julau and Tebrau division chiefs effective immediately.

The PKR leader suggested Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had likely enticed the two to defect, as he accused the PN chief of bribing or extorting for support in a bid to stay in power.

“The central leadership had today discussed the legal action that has and will be taken against the duo who contested on a PKR ticket but instead had betrayed the mandate of voters and left the party,” Saifuddin said in a statement issued on WhatsApp.

“What is clear here, while the Covid-19 pandemic spreads and the economy remains sombre, Emergency is used as a way to keep a government that has lost majority support in power by buying time to get support of MPs either by extortion or offers of positions and incentives,” he added.

Muhyiddin announced the defections earlier this evening shortly after photographs of him with Julau MP Larry Sng and Tebrau MP Steven Choong emerged online.

He said to have received the statutory declarations from two Opposition members of parliament stating their support for the Perikatan Nasional government, and that the SDs were delivered to him after a gathering of the Cabinet to mark the one-year anniversary of the PN administration in Putrajaya.

Muhyiddin, who is the prime minister, expressed hope that the defection would bolster the PN government in its efforts to manage the Covid-19 pandemic and rebuild the economy.

Saifuddin, however, said having Sng and Choong on PN’s side will do little to save Muhyiddin’s position, claiming that the prime minister is still without majority support in Parliament.

“Despite the betrayal of the two MPs, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin must realise that the majority of MPs are no longer with him,” the PKR leader said.

“He should not put any more effort to keep this weak government in power but instead should respectfully resign in accordance with the Federal Constitution.”

It was not immediately clear which PN party the two defectors would join but former Barisan Nasional component Gerakan appeared to be a natural fit. - malaymail