PKR dares party quitters to vacate seats

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — PKR has dared five renegade lawmakers, including Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim, to resign from their seats to prove that they are upset with the party leadership and its struggles.

PKR election director Fuziah Salleh said the five should allow the electorate decide on their representatives to the state assemblies or parliament. Under current election laws, those who resign their seat cannot stand for re-election.

“I dare Zahrain and all PKR state assemblymen who had left to resign for by-elections to be held,” she told The Malaysian Insider via text message from the United States.

She is there with PAS Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Umno Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed for a study trip.

“It is fair for the people to choose a representative that represents the party chosen by the people,” the Kuantan MP said.

Zahrain is the first MP to quit PKR while the assemblymen who have walked out of the party to be Independents are Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang), Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering), Badrul Hisham Abdullah (Pelabuhan Klang) and Mohd. Radzhi Salleh (Lunas).

The Malaysian Insider understands that there is a possibility that five more MPs and a few other assemblymen will announce their resignation from the party within the next two weeks.

Zahrain announced his immediate resignation from PKR on Friday, citing disappointment with the party and a loss of faith with de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The former Penang PKR chief was facing a party disciplinary board inquiry for his harsh criticism of Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng when he decided to turn Independent in Parliament, reducing the Pakatan Rakyat to just 81 in the 222-seat parliament.

Fuziah said Zahrain should realise that he wasn’t elected in Election 2008 because of himself but definitely because he represented PKR.

“Now he is disappointed with the party’s leaders and struggles, so is he willing to quit the seat and not just the party,” Fuziah asked.

She said Zahrain and the four state reps could contest again if the law allowed it to happen.

“If the people want them and they have been doing service well, then they can win if they are Independents.

“Otherwise, if the people choose the party, the only party representatives will win,” she added.

Fuziah also said as party elections director, she will take the responsibility to ensure future candidates have the integrity to vacate their seats if they resign from the party, in a reference to Zahrain’s vow to keep his parliamentary seat until the next general election.

By G. Manimaran

-The Malaysian Insider-