MEDIA STATEMENT: Recent Political Defections Due to Dollar and Cents

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 4 March 2010


RECENT POLITICAL DEFECTIONS DUE TO DOLLAR AND CENTS

The recent announcement of Bagan Serai MP Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri joining Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Hashim and Nibong Tebal MP Tan Bee Beng in quitting the party is part of a plan by the Barisan Nasional (BN) to undermine the will of the people and destroy PKR.

It is not coincidental that all of a sudden, the stated MPs profess losing confidence with the party and wanting to build "an independent block" when the plain fact is that the defectors are driven by monetary rewards. The truth is PKR cannot compete with the BN when it comes to monetary rewards. The BN’s grand design would include using certain tycoons to help alleviate these debt-ridden and opportunistic MPs (the Perak crisis being a clear case of such manipulation). It is simple common sense when suddenly some of them have now been cleared from their debts and are enriched.

Unfortunately, former PKR Secretary General Sallehuddin Hashim has facilitated these defections and manipulated the weak-willed and fickle MPs who are pliable enough to be lured into the BN's trap. It is therefore of no surprise that Sallehuddin has been present at the last few defector’s press conference. After his resignation as PKR Secretary General, Sallehuddin has actively engaged with BN leaders including the Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah. Sallehuddin himself revealed to several PKR leaders that he had meetings with both of them two days before Chinese New Year. It is odd and dubious when someone who has once held a key position in PKR has suddenly found confidence in the BN and its leaders. He will continue to spin the myth that he was disappointed with the party and other assorted lies and half truths, but the truth is it all due to dollars and cents.

As the BN and Sallehuddin continue this vicious campaign, Pakatan Rakyat and PKR will remain steadfast and will not be cowed by such acts. We know these attempts are calculated to cripple or destroy PKR as it poses a real threat to the BN. After all in the last general election and most subsequent by-elections, the BN has lost many mixed seats to PKR. The party is nonetheless confident that these defections will only make us stronger.

We urge the Rakyat to help us do the right thing - to break away from the current corrupt, unjust and abusive system to one that is truly just, clean and democratic system of governance.

LATHEEFA KOYA
Information Chief, KEADILAN