Many PKR reps ready to jump ship, says ex-member

KUALA LUMPUR: A significant number of PKR elected representatives have expressed their wish to leave the party, former PKR Youth executive council member Zamil Ibrahim said.

Zamil said he had received numerous calls from the representatives who had expressed concerns over their political future and their party’s survival.

“They are worried about two things – (party adviser) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial, and favouritism in the party,” he said.

Zamil said those who had fallen out of favour risk losing appointed and even elected posts.

“Many who are not on the list of favourites may not be nominated to contest in the next general election,” he said.

Zamil claimed that the number of MPs willing to cross over would be enough to give Barisan Nasional a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

Zamil said many representatives were worried about developments in Penanti, Bukit Selambau, Port Klang and Lunas.

Former Penanti assemblyman Muhammad Fairus Khairuddin and former Bukit Selambau assemblyman V. Arumugam were forced to quit their seats to pave the way for by-elections, he said.

Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah and Lunas assemblyman Mohd Radzhi Salleh quit PKR following fears that they would also be forced to vacate the seats.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali, meanwhile, said monetary offers were being made to induce elected representatives to jump ship.

The party that is willing to “buy” is usually the ruling party (Barisan Nasional) he claimed.

“It has happened before and it is still happening,” he told a press conference yesterday.

That was why PAS had come up with the bai’ah (loyalty pledge) to discourage crossovers, he said.

source : thestar

kzso : can they be trusted?