KUALA LUMPUR: The absence of two Melaka assemblymen during the voting process for a motion to make PKR state chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Bachik a senator is unacceptable, says PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said he would be meeting Rembia assemblyman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis and Machap Jaya assemblyman Datuk Ginnie Lim Siew Lin to ask for an explanation over their absence.
“I am in touch with them. I am supposed to meet them today or communicate with them.
“That is of course not acceptable because they have to respect the decision of the state, and our position is that they must support the chief minister’s decision,” he said at the Parliament lobby.
Yesterday, the motion brought by Chief Minister Adly Zahari to make Halim a senator failed to get majority support.
The motion received 12 votes of support, 13 against, and the two assemblymen left the hall before the motion was read out.
When asked whether the failure to gain support to pass the motion had only shown the severity of the current in-fighting within the government coalition, Anwar stressed that any decision made by the state government and the party must be respected.
“Infighting or not, the decision must be respected by the party or state,” he said.
Anwar also dismissed the notion that the move by the two assemblymen was intended to create a backdoor government in Melaka.
“I don’t think so. However, from the party’s standpoint we will defend the PH government that includes the current Melaka chief minister,” he said.
On whether there were plans to present a motion in the Dewan Rakyat to support Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to continue his premiership for one term, Anwar said he had heard about it.
“If there is any motion by the government, it must be presented during the PH presidential council and we haven’t heard about the motion.
“If there is such a motion, you must ask the person(s) involved,” he said.