PKR slams ally DAP
By Fong Kee Soon, The Star
GEORGE TOWN: A Penang PKR leader has slammed his Pakatan Rakyat ally for suggesting that it give up at least six seats in Penang for the DAP to field Malay candidates in the next general election.
Penang PKR information chief Johari Kassim said state DAP committee member Zulkifli Mohd Noor should not make unwise suggestions since he is a senior party member.
“He should know that it is unwise to rock the boat, especially when the general election is near. I don’t know what his agenda is but I hope that DAP, as a party, does not share his view.
“Perhaps he thinks DAP is entitled to this after winning 19 state seats in the last general election,” he said yesterday.
Johari, a Seberang Prai municipal councillor, said the DAP should not forget that its victory was owed as much to Malay support via PKR and the leadership of PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Zulkifli, who is a Penang municipal councillor, had suggested that PKR make way for the DAP in at least a parliamentary seat and five state seats in Penang.
He said he had received feedback from Malay DAP supporters and party members who want Malay candidates to represent them.
He claimed that DAP used to field as many as 13 Malay candidates in Penang during general elections prior to 2008 but the seats were given to PKR and PAS in the 2008 general election.
Johari said PKR was even more multiracial compared to DAP as it had candidates from all races contesting in Penang during the last general election.
Pakatan won 29 out of 40 state seats and 11 out of 13 parliamentary seats in Penang in the 2008 election. DAP won in all 19 state and seven parliamentary seats its candidates contested. None of its candidates were Malay.
PKR won in nine of the 16 state and all four parliamentary seats it candidates contested while PAS won only one of five state seats and none of the two parliamentary seats its candidates contested.
Two of PKR’s winning candidates Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng and Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim later quit the party to become independents.
