Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has called on Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to reveal the whereabouts of the two Perak executive councillors from PKR who have gone ‘missing’ for five days.
"I have received information suggesting that Najib was behind the disappearance of both PKR excos," Anwar said, taking a swipe at the Umno deputy president for proving to be an expert in 'safeguarding and protecting' missing persons.Behrang assemblyperson Jamaluddin Mat Radzi and Changkat Jering state representative Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu have gone missing since last week and PKR de facto leader Anwar believes that BN premier designate Najib was behind their ‘disappearance’.
Anwar recalled the incident where private investigator P Balasubramaniam went missing last year after making two contradicting statutory declarations within two days in relations to the murder trial of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
"One should ask Najib on where the two PKR excos from Perak are, and also about Bala. After all, he is an expert in handling missing persons," Anwar, the Permatang Pauh parliamentarian, told newsmen after meeting six Perak PKR assemblypersons for an hour in a closed-door session at Yayasan Aman complex in Penanti, Penang mainland.The six who met Anwar were Abdul Yunus Jamhari (Kuala Kurau), Tai Sing Ng (Kuala Sepetang), Chan Ming Kai (Simpang Pulai), Chang Lih Kang (PKR), S Kesavan (Hutan Melintang) and ex-Umno Bota assemblyperson Nasarudin Hashim, who crossed over to PKR last week. Gopeng parliamentarian Lee Boon Chye was also present.
On the meeting, Anwar said the six assemblypersons have pledged their loyalty and commitment to PKR and Perak state government.
"They have vowed to preserve the stability of the Pakatan Rakyat state government," he added.
Party hopping no more immoral?
Many PKR leaders believe that both Jamaluddin and Osman are now under the protection of top Umno leaders, notably Najib.
Some have alleged that millions of ringgit was involved in the BN coup de tat to usurp the Perak government from Pakatan, which came to power in last March general election.
Anwar also took a swipe at BN national chairperson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for making a complete U-turn on the virtue of ‘party hopping’ when the prime minister confirmed today that several Pakatan assemblyperson would soon cross over to BN.
"I am shocked that he had said this when he and other Umno leaders condemned party hoppers as immoral politicians. So now he can accept party hoppers? It's no more immoral now?" he asked, referring to Umno's criticism against Nasarudin’s (right) switch of political allegiance to PKR last Sunday.
When asked whether the Perak government would dissolve the state assembly and called for a snap state election, Anwar said that Pakatan was confident to fight another poll.
He expressed optimism that Perak government led by Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was confident to face the people if the political situation in the state becomes unstable.
"I am not saying that there would be a snap election. But Pakatan is strong, and we are confident to face the people again," he said.
At present, Pakatan has 32 seats in Perak with DAP (18), PKR (8) and PAS (6), while BN has 27 with Umno (26) and MCA (1).
Mohamad Nizar plans to lodge 'missing person' police reports on Jamaluddin and Osman, both of whom are facing graft charges.
It's learnt both may initially declare themselves as independent assemblypersons before joining Umno on a later date.
Tit-for-tat defections
Many Pakatan leaders are resigned to losing the duo to Umno which could destabilise the 10-month-old state government which leads the BN opposition by a razor-thin majority.
However, they also indicated that at least three more Umno state assemblypersons in Perak would emulate Nasarudin’s footsteps soon.
But one assemblyperson indicated that the Pakatan government would dissolve the Perak assembly and called a snap state election "as the last straw to stop BN coup de tat."
Meanwhile, the sudden ‘disappearance' of Perak state assembly deputy speaker Hee Yit Fong today fueled speculation of her imminent crossover over to MCA.
With Hee's defection, BN will have the three additional representatives it needed to claim government.
Given this, Menteri Besar Mohamad Nizar may exercise his option of calling a snap election.
But the Perak sultan will be called to play a pivotal role on whether to agree with Mohmad Nizar in dissolving the state assembly or hand over the state government to the one which commands the majority, which in this case could be BN - malaysiakini.com
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment