KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Dec 2008: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali wants bickering leaders in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition pact of PAS, DAP and PKR to stop airing their differences in the media.
“I wish to urge and plead to the various parties in the Pakatan (Rakyat) to stop taking their differences and conflicts to the media, especially the BN (Barisan Nasional)-controlled ones.
“This includes not only the Selangor MB (Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) and the Kapar MP (Member of Parliament S Manikavasagam) but also the Selangor speaker (DAP’s Teng Chang Khim) and the Klang MP (DAP’s Charles Santiago),” he said in a statement here today.
Manikavasagam announced on Friday that he would quit PKR, saying he was dissatisfied with Khalid and the way the menteri besar ran the state.
Khalid responded yesterday by saying that Manikavasagam was free to resign if he wanted to, adding that he was not interested in meeting the MP or asking him to reconsider.
Santiago, however, was caught in a quandary after Teng accused him of being bought over by the BN and behaving like an opposition leader.
“They should sit down and discuss and settle their differences and conflicts internally. There are various existing channels and procedures to do so,” said Syed Husin.
He said that in the absence of PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who are away until 6 Jan, he would call a meeting of the political bureau on Wednesday. The meeting would discuss the main and related issues “in order to find a suitable solution”.
“The issue of the Kapar MP’s threat to leave PKR has been blown out of proportion by certain BN-controlled media. They have distorted statements by some Pakatan (Rakyat) leaders in order to portray the opposition alliance as if it was in disarray. “Obviously, their intention is to draw public attention away from the series of crises in the BN and also within major components of the government coalition, leading to the upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election,” Syed Husin added. — Bernama
