Stop playing dirty, says Zaid

By Sira Habibu, The Star

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who is expected to contest for a top post in the PKR, has urged party members who made baseless allegations “to stop playing dirty.”

He said the culture of making sweeping statements should cease, as it would affect public confidence in the party when lies were exposed.

“We must also put a stop to the culture of cliques and Machiavellian politics. These are signs of an unhealthy party,’’ he told a press conference yesterday.

He lambasted his critics in the party for making baseless allegations against him after he announced interest in contesting for a top party post.

“They call me a traitor, say I am a trojan horse, and even implicated me in a press conference called by a former aide of party adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“I have never even met him”, he said in reference to Rahimi Osman who wanted to announce that he was forced to sign statutory declarations.

On party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution’s advice to him to abide by the party policy to boycott Utusan Malaysia, Zaid said he would continue to defy irrational policies.

“I am making constructive criticisms in the interest of the party,’’ he said, adding that those who allowed negative culture to thrive in the party were the real traitors, he added.

Zaid, a lawyer, said he had written to central election committee chairman Dr Molly Cheah requesting the implementation of standard guidelines to check allegations of irregularities in the election procedure.

“I have requested that the committee allow candidates to appoint agents to monitor the election process. I also requested serial numbers on ballots,’’ he said.