Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today played down the defection of ex-Penang deputy Chief Minister Mohd Fairus Khairuddin to Umno and indicated it was not unexpected.
“Are you surprise? Is it a major coup?” he quipped to reporters who met him at the Federal Court here.
He told reporters that PKR’s deputy president Senator Dr Syed Husin Ali has released a statement and he would like to see the statement before making further comments to the media.
The Opposition Leader is seeking leave from the apex court to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal last year for dismissing his RM100 million defamation suit against former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamed for calling him a homosexual.
In a statement released today, Syed Husin Fairus as a liability for the party and Penang government, saying the party should be grateful that the ex-Penang deputy chief minister had resigned.
The 33-year-old former Penanti assemblyman joined Umno last night, citing his disillusionment with PKR for its stand over the ‘Allah’ ruling.
“Parti Keadilan Rakyat should be grateful to Allah (SWT) that Fairus Khairuddin has left the party. Since he participated in Penang Government and his departure from that until now, he has always been a liability,” Syed Husin said in the statement.
He added that Fairus had to quit his state posts due to investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and “performing below par”.
“When he left, he demanded that the party cleared all debts on his two luxurious cars and pay him RM15,000 a month for as long as he determined. There was no reason to concede to these demands. Furthermore the party does not have the means to do so.
“In pity of his wife and children, a kind person gave him a ‘job’ for which he was paid RM4000 monthly. He was dissatisfied and continuously attacked the party leadership. Now he has found an Umno leader who can pay him much, much more than this,” he added.
Syed Husin also criticised Fairus’ reasons for leaving PKR.
“Fairus has given racial and religious reasons for leaving Keadilan. How shameful. He, his friends and Allah know best the truth,” the veteran politician said.
Apart from Fairus, 77 members of the Permatang Pauh PKR Youth left the party to join Umno last week following the departure of Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim.
It is understood that several more members, including Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, could leave this week.
news courtesy of Malaysian Insider
No comments:
Post a Comment