Wee last of PKR MPs on quit list, says source

Written by Yong Min Wei, The Edge  

The resignation of Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong marks the end of the recent spate of defections of PKR parliamentarians as the remaining 24 are party loyalists, a party insider claims.

He said the PKR leadership had learned that the parliamentarians who were “frustrated” and coaxed by certain parties to quit had all done so. Wee should be the last of the PKR MPs elected in the 12th general election to leave, the source claimed.

“We have our own intelligence report telling us about those approached and whether they have intentions of quitting (the party). We are well aware of the situation,” the insider told The Edge Financial Daily.

He said the PKR’s intelligence report was credible as it had indicated prior to the March 8, 2008 general election that the opposition led by PKR would dent Barisan Nasional’s (BN) two-thirds majority in parliament.

He said the MPs who quit the party were not truly convinced about the party’s challenges. They merely rode on the PKR ticket to win in the last general election, said the source. They were neither reformists nor were they prepared for the role, he added.

“BN can continue to dream of securing a two-thirds (majority) with the help of independent candidates at the coming (Dewan Rakyat) sitting. You can create rumours but none (of the MPs) will leave this time,” said the insider. DAP’s victory in Sibu, he said, had to some extent strengthened Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership of Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

He said that PKR was mum on whether more resignations would take place when the defections were at their height as it did not want to pre-empt the “self-cleansing process”, although losing several MPs was not a healthy development. He noted that Wee and Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin did not endorse the loyalty pledge in March to support the party’s cause and Anwar’s leadership which was signed by 12 MPs not holding key positions in PKR’s central leadership council.

The twelve were Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abbas (Teluk Kemang), Ahmad Kassim (Kuala Kedah), Azan Ismail (Indera Mahkota), Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid (Kuala Langat), Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadir (Ketereh), Yusmadi Yusoff (Balik Pulau), S Manikavasagam (Kapar), N Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai), Datuk Rashid Din (Merbok), Loh Gwo-Burne (Kelana Jaya), Amran Ab Ghani (Tanah Merah) and Hee Loy Sian (Petaling Jaya Selatan).

When contacted, Yusmadi said although PKR faced “management problems”, like a company, the party was on track as there was no change to its policy and reform agenda. The existing PKR MPs were in touch with each other and there was not even the “slightest evidence” of anyone going to defect, he said.

“The more I see hopeless MPs jump, the more it strengthens my spirit to be loyal to the party,” he said.

Yusmadi alleged that since late 2009, there was a conspiracy to make PKR MPs leave the party. He said that it was an open secret that Wee was among those who had planned to abandon the party. He noted the Wangsa Maju lawmaker had attacked his party colleagues during the last parliamentary sitting and was not aligned with PR on certain matters during debates.

Petaling Jaya Selatan lawmaker Hee also believed that there would be no more defections. “I think Wee Choo Keong is the last (to leave). No more MPs will cross over,” he said when asked to comment on the latest defection.

According to Hee, the BN-controlled media had been trying to paint a picture that PKR members and lawmakers were dissatisfied with the party leadership and that the party had a bleak future. He said that he had not been approached to jump ship.

He said there was no change to his commitment on the loyalty pledge which was endorsed two months ago.

“I’m happy here in PKR and have no plans to leave,” added Hee.

Manikavasagam quashed rumours that he brought up allegations of graft in a state-owned sand mining company as an excuse to leave PKR soon, stressing he was not fighting against the party leadership but the issue of corruption instead.

The Kapar lawmaker said he felt obliged to highlight corruption issues to be investigated as it was PR’s manifesto in the last general election for Selangor’s administration to be clean, fair and transparent.

“No, no. I’m not leaving. I’ll firmly stay with the party… I’m not sure about the others,” he said when asked if he believed Wee should be the last MP to quit.

Manikavasagam said the loyalty pledge that the 12 MPs have signed was like a “statutory declaration” that should be taken seriously as it would reaffirm their commitment to the party as well as voters who supported them.

PKR has lost six MPs since the last general election and is left with 24 MPs. It also has an ally in a lone Parti Sosialis Malaysia MP. Four PKR MPs, namely Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim (Bayan Baru), Tan Tee Beng (Nibong Tebal), Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri (Bagan Serai) and Wee, have quit to become independent lawmakers.

Zulkifli was sacked from the party but remains an independent MP while PKR failed to retain the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat in a by-election following the death of Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad. PR currently controls 77 seats in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.