PKR man warns party against taking in ex-Umno members

 

Asrul Nizan Abd Jalil said allowing former Umno members, such as Zahidi Zainul Abidin, into PKR could disrupt relations with Umno.

PETALING JAYA: A Perlis PKR leader has cautioned the party against accepting former Umno leaders into the Anwar Ibrahim-led party.

Former Sena assemblyman Asrul Nizan Abd Jalil said PKR must carefully consider accepting the membership applications of former Umno members, such as Zahidi Zainul Abidin, as it could disrupt relations between PKR and Umno, who are partners in the unity government, Utusan Malaysia reported.

He said allowing former Umno members to join PKR could also upset the party’s grassroots.

“As a party with a reform agenda, we welcome anyone who wishes to join PKR. However, we have had previous experience where those who joined betrayed us,” he was quoted as saying.

The Kangar PKR deputy chief said the party should also be careful not to accept members who did not meet the party’s standards and belonged in the “trash can”.

On Monday, former Umno Supreme Council member Zahidi said he would be submitting his PKR membership form on Feb 4. He also claimed that several national-level Umno leaders would be doing so, too.

The former Padang Besar MP was then reported to have said that he chose to align himself with Pakatan Harapan (PH) as his former party and the coalition was now part of the unity government.

He added that he opted against joining Perikatan Nasional (PN), because if any of his friends from Umno met with him, they risked getting sacked.

Zahidi was sacked by Umno last November after standing as an independent candidate in the 15th general election (GE15), having been dropped by the party.

However, the former communications and multimedia deputy minister failed to defend his Padang Besar seat, getting only 1,939 votes and losing his deposit, in a five-cornered fight that was won by PN’s Rushdan Rusmi. - FMT