Bota branch leaders follow Nasarudin to PKR

By Christina Koh, The Star

Eight Umno branches in Bota have been disbanded and the members have joined PKR following the move of Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasarudin Hashim.

The branch leaders turned up at a gathering in Bota on Friday night and presented their application forms to PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Acting Perak Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the development should not be a setback for Umno.

He said Parit Umno division deputy chief Yusof Nordin would now coordinate the delivery of services to Bota residents.

“It is only temporary. I hope the (leaders of the) eight branches are prepared to pay the price of their actions,” Ahmad Zahid told reporters at a Mesra Rakyat programme near here yesterday.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Perak Federal Action Council chairman, assured state Barisan Nasional assemblymen that they would receive the RM300,000 in federal allocation for their constituencies following complaints that some had not receive part of the RM1.6bil allocation for Perak under the 9th Malaysia Plan.

“I guarantee that the money will be distributed equally even if the assemblyman is not an Umno division chief,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid said each state constituency under Barisan would receive RM1mil under the RM7bil stimulus package.

On Anwar’s claim that more Barisan assemblymen would join Pakatan Rakyat, he said: “It is a political statement but I hope he is willing to face the political reality.”