Pribumi now in sixes and sevens
(The Star) – Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) seems to be imploding before it can even get going, with founding leaders Anina Saadudin and Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan taking on the leadership after a huge falling out.
The party claims Anina was never its women’s wing chief as the wing has yet to be formed but Anina said the claim was just an excuse by the party to cover up her sacking from the post.
“I took the oath as Srikandi (the women’s wing) head on Nov 2, but they are now saying it was a technical error. That is just an excuse,” she said, adding that she had recently been told by party secretary-general Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh and deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir that she would not be recommended to be the wing’s head.
Anina has been embroiled in an alleged sexting scandal.
Dr Shahruddin, in a statement yesterday, said the question of Anina being sacked did not arise as the Srikandi wing had not been officially formed.
“Srikandi is an important party wing. As such, the position of the Srikandi chief should be made carefully, taking into consideration the views of all parties,” he added.
Anina, however, brushed aside the explanation, saying that as far as she was concerned, she had been sacked as the Srikandi chief.
“That’s what I believe. That’s what I understood,” she said.
Asked if her “sacking” was due to the alleged sexting scandal, Anina said: “I have no idea.”
Rumours surrounding Anina’s alleged scandal emerged about two weeks ago after images of a WhatsApp conversation, said to be that of her and an unknown man, were posted online.
Asked how she felt about the removal, Anina said the question should be posed to party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Mukhriz.
“When they were sacked from Umno early this year, how did they feel about it? I defended them at that time without asking them how they felt about their removal,” she said.
Anina said the party had scheduled a supreme council meeting next month and the appointment of the Srikandi chief would be discussed then.
She added that she would continue to struggle for the people and would be loyal to them.
“I’m a fighter and not a politician. I am trying to understand the political language,” she said.
Following the problems involving Anina, Khairuddin, who left the party in October, questioned Muhyiddin over his own alleged scandal.
If Anina could be sacked due to an alleged sex scandal, he said Muhyiddin must also clear his name over allegations of a scandal involving another man’s wife.
“The party must be seen to be clean, fair and just, without appearing as if it practises favouritism,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He called on the party’s supreme council to take a tough stance towards cleaning the party’s image that had been tarnished lately.
