‘Missing’ PKR rep turns up

By Mazlinda Mahmood (NST)

Missing Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah surfaced yesterday to stop rumours that he was lying low to prepare to defect from the Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

He also denied that he had been caught for khalwat (close proximity) as reported by a news website.

Clad in a white striped shirt and songkok, Badrul Hisham read a one-page press statement denying that he would quit PKR to join Barisan Nasional.

"It is not true and this is a trick by the opposition to create confusion in the Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor.

"I am still doing my job as an assemblyman. My commitment is still intact and undivided to the PKR and PR leadership, especially in Selangor," he said at a press conference after attending a meeting chaired by the menteri besar here yesterday.

It was his first appearance before the press since he won the seat in March last year. His long absence fuelled speculation that he was defecting to the BN.

He said he had met the party leadership to explain himself and try to improve his weaknesses and continue to serve his voters and PKR.

Asked where he had been and why he went missing as his constituents complained that he could not be reached, he said he had not gone anywhere.

"I never went missing, it was all the media's doing," he said, claiming that he went to his service centre every day and left late at night on many occasions.

Asked whether allegations that he did not serve his constituents, failed to attend functions and division meetings and rarely held programmes in his constituency were false, he answered "we will improve".