PKR owes everyone an explanation, says Ambiga

Former Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson S Ambiga has expressed shock over the shenanigans within PKR, saying that the party owes an explanation to the public as to why the Kajang state seat was vacated to enable a by-election.

While noting that it appeared as if PKR was trying to resolve an internal leadership crisis through this move, she said she was waiting for PKR to come up with an “overwhelming” reason.

“I think they owe everybody an explanation,” Ambiga told the press after attending a youth dialogue session with DAP leader Lim Kit Siang (left) last night.

She was also asked to respond to a question on whether PKR would be wasting public funds and time by creating the by-election.

“Of course it is, isn’t it? Because barely a year after the (13th general) election, money has to be spent because of this by-election. That’s why people are not happy with it, they don’t understand it,” she added.

PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh resigned from the Kajang state seat two days ago.

Yesterday, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim announced that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim would contest the seat.

However, Anwar denied that he will replace Khalid as the menteri besar should he win, claiming that the by-election would help the party “optimise our performance in the state”.

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Bersih slams PKR for betraying voters’ trust

Kajang elected representative Lee Chin Cheh's decision to step down and force a by-election in his Selangor state constituency is “nothing short of a betrayal of trust” given to him by voters, said electoral reform NGO Bersih 2.0.

In a hard-hitting statement, Bersih compared Lee's action with that of former DAP Jelapang representative Hee Yit Foong, whose resignation from the DAP triggered the Perak constitutional crisis.

“Both actions are equally deplorable. It is disappointing that PKR, one of the victims of the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis, is the key player in this sorry saga,” it said.

It said that gravity of Lee's “poor judgement”, who claimed that his resignation was to “strengthen PKR”, was compounded by the party in accepting his resignation and endorsing it by picking de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the upcoming by-election.

“This reeks of dirty politics and should be condemned,” it said, decrying the wastage of public funds in the by-election, which must be held within 60 days.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali said that the resignation was a tactical ploy by PKR so as to build momentum for the Sarawak polls and the 14th general election, which could be called as early as 2016.

This was echoed by Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, while PKR Youth in supporting Anwar's candidacy, said this would pave the way for Anwar to replace Abdul Khalid as MB.

‘Political spins’

The resignation comes as fissures widened between Abdul Khalid and Azmin, who is also Selangor PKR chief, with the by-election seen by critics as a way to resolve internal party feud.

Unconvinced, Bersih said that PKR’s “political spinning” cannot hide the fact that Kajang voters' interests took a backseat in the debacle.

“This is a regressive step for democracy because it supports the mistaken notion in Malaysia that elections are about political parties and politicians rather than about the people,” he said.

“The mandate given to an elected representative by the people is something that should not be taken for granted.

“It is disappointing that in the midst of this political merry-go-round, the people's interest, like many times before, is forgotten.”

Mkini news

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PAS setuju Anwar jadi ADUN, bukan MB

PKR harus berbincang dengan semua parti komponen PR yang lain sekiranya ingin menggantikan kerusi menteri besar.

PETALING JAYA: Tiada masalah bagi PAS untuk menerima Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai calon Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Kajang lantaran kerusi tersebut merupakan kerusi PKR.

Namun, menurut Naib Presiden PAS Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, PKR harus berbincang dengan semua parti komponen Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yang lain sekiranya ingin menggantikan menteri besar popular Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim dengan Anwar.

“KIta melihat keputusan yang diambil oleh PKR ini merupakan hak mereka kerana itu memang kerusi PKR. Kita tiada masalah mereka meletakkan mana-mana calon pilihan mereka.
“Tapi sekiranya melibatkan perubahan jawatan menteri besar ia perlu dibincangkan dahulu dengan PAS dan DAP sebelum buat apa-apa keputusan,” katanya apabila dihubungi FMT hari ini.

Sambil menegaskan bahawa PKR tidak boleh membuat keputusan bersendirian dalam mentadbir Selangor, Tuan Ibrahim mengakui terkejut mengenai perkembangan terbaru yang berlaku di Selangor.

“Kita pun rasa terkejut dengan keputusan tersebut. Kita sedar ada beberapa masalah dalaman yang berlaku di Selangor seperti isu Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) dan beberapa lagi, tapi tak sangka sampai melibatkan perubahan kerusi menteri besar,” katanya.

Beliau bagaimanapun mengakui hubungan PAS dalam PR tidak terjejas dengan isu yang berbangkit.

“Kita yakin akan ada perbincangan selepas ini dalam persiapan mengahadapi pilihan raya kecil (PRK) Kajang nanti dan pimpinan PR akan membincangkan mengenai isu ini,” jelasnya.

Sementara itu, seorang lagi Naib Presiden PAS Salahuddin  Ayub, menerusi satu kenyataan berkata PAS telah menunaikan tanggungjawab sebagai rakan dalam PR dengan memberikan pandangan dan nasihat yang sewajarnya kepada Anwar.

“Apabila PKR telah membuat keputusan untuk bertanding dan meletakan Anwar sebagai calon , PAS sekali lagi telah menyatakan sokongan diatas semangat kerjasama PR,” katanya.

Tambahnya lagi, PAS bersedia membantu PKR dan Anwar dalam PRK Kajang di saat rakyat dilihat marah dengan tindakan parti itu yang dilihat seperti membazirkan wang rakyat.

“Dalam keadaan seperti ini saya rasa pastinya PAS terus menunjukan sikap jiwa besarnya untuk menghulurkan tangan bagi membantu apa saja cara dan pendekatan untuk memastikan kejayaan PR mempertahan kerusi DUN Kajang.

“Adalah penting disaat-saat sukar begini Pas terus dilihat sebagai rakan yang setia dalam persahabatan. Sekiranya isu dan masalah dalaman yang melibatkan PR ada yang PAS tidak puas hati, PAS akan menggunakan saluran sewajarnya untuk menyatakan sikap dan pendirian kita,” jelasnya lagi.

Ketua Penerangan PAS Datuk Mahfuz Omar bagaimanapun enggan mengulas isu ini.
Semalam, PKR dalam satu sidang media mengumumkan bahawa Anwar akan dicalonkan bagi merebut kerusi Kajang yang kosong setelah penyandangnya Lee Chin Cheh, juga dari PKR, meletakkan jawatan.

Tindakan Lee itu menghangatkan spekulasi bahawa Anwar bakal mengambil alih jawatan menteri besar bagi meleraikan pergelutan kuasa di Selangor di antara Abdul Khalid dan Pengerusi PKR Selangor Azmin Ali walaupun Anwar menafikannya.

Azmin, yang juga timbalan presiden PKR berkata tindakan tersebut merupakan strategi PKR untuk mengukuhkan kekuatan parti tersebut di Selangor.


Ikhwan Zulkaflee FMT