PKR rep lying low due to an illness
(The Star) KLANG: A PKR state assemblyman, widely speculated to cross over to Barisan Nasional this Sunday, has been lying low owing to a purported illness.
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim dismissed the speculation that Port Klang state assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah would be the first to do so.
“Crossovers? No. As much as I am disturbed with such news, those voted in would not let the voters down because the people believe we do better than Umno and Barisan. We are doing better and there is no likelihood for such a situation to happen,” he said.
When told about Badrul’s supposed intention, Khalid said Badrul was a different issue altogether.
“Due to an illness, it takes him time to care for himself. Two months ago, I had visited him and understand his complications, it is more of a medical problem,” he said after handing over 1.088ha of land in Taman Sentosa to build a Tamil school.
Khalid added Badrul could not attend the state assembly sitting last month and had submitted a medical letter to Speaker Teng Chang Khim.
“On our side, we have written to him. We want to know what we can do to help service his constituency,” he said.
Asked whether PKR would urge Badrul to resign as an assemblyman, Khalid retorted this was not done.
“We can’t just ask people to resign because we have responsibilities to him. But if he feels he cannot serve the communities in the area, then he should give up the position,” said Khalid.
It is believed PKR had issued a show-cause letter to Badrul for various reasons, including not attending a state political bureau meeting for all PKR state assemblymen and MPs on Monday.
PKR sources said Badrul was deemed as high risk and members in the Pakatan coalition had found it difficult to contact him.
This resulted in Khalid’s political secretary and state assemblyman for Seri Setia Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Klang PKR division acting chief Suhaimi Mohd Nor to assume Badrul’s duties.
State executive council member Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar said speculations that three from PAS; two from DAP and three from PKR would crossover were not true.
Pakatan is ruling Selangor with 36 seats compared to Barisan’s 20. Among the 36 seats, PAS has eight, DAP 13, and PKR 15.
Barisan needs at least eight assemblymen to defect while Dr Nasir Hashim from Parti Socialis Malaysia, is seen as a pro-Pakatan independent.
Badrul was not at home at 9.30pm when The Star visited his house at Kampung Raja Uda in Port Klang.
His wife Ramizah Mazlan said he was not at home but insisted her husband would not be crossing over to Umno.
Speculation had been rife that Badrul would cross over to Umno, given his close ties with Umno members whom he had worked with in his neighbourhood.
Klang Umno division Youth Chief Zainuri Zakaria said Badrul would become a big liability for Umno if he were accepted into the party.
“Currently he is a big liability for PR and has been rejected by his constituents for his poor performance as an elected representative,” said Zainuri when contacted.
“Even if Selangor Umno accepts Badrul, the Klang division youths will vehemently opposed the move,” said Zainuri.
