BN open to independent MPs, says Nazri
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Barisan Nasional (BN) is open to any or all five of the independent MPs previously from PKR despite criticisms from their previous party, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said.
The Umno lawmaker rubbished Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s allegations that the five, who now form the Konsensus Bebas bloc, were paid by BN to jump ship.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department pointed out that the practice of bribing MPs to leave their respective parties was something that was first “started” by Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
He fired a salvo against the PR de facto leader, claiming that it was Anwar and PR who had first tried to buy over MPs, with specific reference to the highly-publicised but failed September 16, 2008 takeover.
“It takes a thief to catch a thief. For the opposition and Anwar, to think that we paid them money (to leave PKR), I suppose that’s what they wanted to do on September 16,” Nazri said in an interview with The Malaysian Insider this past week.
For proof, he pointed at Bota state assemblyman Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim who had defected to PKR at the time when Perak was still under PR.
“In Perak, the Pakatan government, in their first ten months had a majority (in the state assembly.) What was the need to curi orang kita (steal our people)? They took Nasaruddin.
“They started it first. So don’t complain if people leave your party. Besides, they did not join BN. They are independents,” said Nazri.
Nasaruddin has since rejoined Umno.
Nazri also dismissed claims by PR that the five MPs — Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim, Tan Tee Beng, Zulkifli Noordin, Mohsin Samsuri and Wee Choo Keong were “biased” and supported BN.
The law minister defended their credentials, stating that the five served as a mediating “balance” in Parliament.
“I believe that they are like our watchdogs in Parliament, for both sides (BN and PR).
“With Konsensus Bebas, any major decision in Parliament can swing both ways. We (BN) are not infallible,” quipped Nazri.
The Padang Rengas MP also welcomed the independents with open arms should any of them decide to join BN in the near future.
