Cracks in PKR

2009/10/29

Roy Goh

KOTA KINABALU: Cracks in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat leadership are deepening with the resignations of two key leaders in Sabah.

Besides this, there have also been reports in news portals and political
blogs about the purported resignation of PKR secretary-general Salehuddin Hashim, although he has denied this.
Salehuddin, it was reported, had sent a strongly-worded letter to PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
About two weeks ago, reports of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s intended six-month leave from the party sparked rumours of a crisis in the party leadership.
Yesterday, Sabah PKR vice-president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and supreme council member Christina Liew resigned from their posts.
They, however remain ordinary members.
Their decision followed the appointment of Ahmad Thamrin Jaini as the party’s new state chief at the weekend replacing vice-president Azmin Ali who supposedly
held the post in the face of dissent from local leaders.
Azmin had earlier said that his appointment was “temporary until we get the party here back on track” and that a reshuffle was on the cards.
Thamrin, who was the state liaison committee secretary, is based in Sungai Sibuga, the constituency held by Sabah Chief Minister and Sabah Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

Kitingan told Bernama that he had not ruled out the possibility of
rejoining Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), led by his elder brother Datuk Seri
Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
“This struggle is not about me but it is all about the people of Sabah,” he said, agreeing that other options included forming a new party or joining the Sabah Progressive Party.
Kitingan added that his resignation and that of Liew’s from their posts, would make many Keadilan members reconsider their position in the party.
He said he had lost confidence in the way Keadilan leaders “look at people in Sabah”, regarding them as followers instead of partners.
“I will now go down to the grassroots and seek their opinion on what I should do
next. Whatever I do it will be for the good of the people of Sabah,” Kitingan said.
Liew, who is a founding member of the party in Sabah, said the appointment of
Thamrin was the last straw in prompting her decision although earlier she was taken aback by a move that made her think deeply about her future.
“Three months ago while I was on holiday in Australia, I was replaced as the deputy state liaison chief by someone else who had joined the party just two years ago,” she said of Datuk Kong Hong Ming who now holds the post. “That was
a big surprise for me because as far as I know I was one of the first from the Chinese community to join Keadilan and to eventually build the people’s confidence in the party from strength to strength.
“I am the type of person who will pick up a piece of rubbish instead of talking about it but this is the way they treat me. I don’t want to be a puppet of
the powers that be in Kuala Lumpur because I have the right to equal partnership
based on merit.”
Liew said she would remain as a member of the party because she still believed in the party agenda to fight for fairness and transparency but said its leaders seemed to have deviated from their original struggles.
Former Sabah Keadilan secretary Kanul Gindol said the moves by Kitingan and

Liew were likely a “prelude” to their departure from Keadilan.
“There is talk he may form a new party or join SAPP or rejoin the BN, although I personally feel it is not likely to happen and he may favour either of the first two options,” said Kanul who was also the political secretary to Jeffrey before quitting the party.
In P u t r a j aya , PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said the pair’s decision to quit must be respected. “We believe they have their own concerns and reasons to resign and we must respect it.”

Shamsul, however, noted that dissatisfied PKR leaders should use proper channels to air their grievances and not go through the media.
He expressed confidence that Anwar would be able to resolve the matter.
In Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the resignations were expected.
“I expected this to happen a long time ago. The party (PKR) cannot survive as the leaders
in the party have their own interests,” he said while adding that members had lost faith in the party.