KUALA LUMPUR – Three Johor assemblymen’s defection from Amanah to fellow Pakatan Harapan component PKR, which had seemed innocuous to them, has led to tension among some party leaders.
In a strongly worded statement today, Amanah Youth chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin said PKR must not be hypocritical after its secretary-general, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, yesterday said his party rejects the culture of hopping from one political outfit to another.
“Ironically, on the same day, the media reported that PKR has accepted several elected representatives who had jumped in Johor. This is despite objections from us after a similar situation happened in Selangor.”
He was referencing the decision by Meru rep Mohd Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar and Ahmad Mustain Othman (Sabak) to join PKR.
It was reported that three Johor Amanah assemblymen – Khairuddin A. Rahim (Senggarang), Muhamad Said Jonit (Mahkota) and Faizul Amri Adnan (Serom) – had left to join PKR as early as last September.
Shazni described the action of party-hopping as “political prostitution”, and that it was what brought down the PH government last year.
“As allies in PH, accepting elected representatives will cause the relationship among the parties to sour in the future.”
However, a spokesman for the PKR leadership said it is better for the Amanah reps to join PKR instead of a party on the other side of the aisle.
“Is it not better that they find a home in PKR rather than be tempted to join Bersatu?” said the senior leader, adding that steps are being taken to smoothen the relationship with Amanah, and that the coalition remains solid.
Khairuddin, meanwhile, said the reps kept the move under wraps so as to preserve the good relationship between the parties.
Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub called PKR out for taking in the defectors, saying it is inappropriate and against the spirit of camaraderie agreed on when PH was formed.
PKR Youth secretary Ahmad Syukri Razab hit out, saying Salahuddin ought to be grateful that PKR is giving the trio room to stay on in PH, as otherwise, they could turn to rival pacts Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional.
He slammed Amanah for purportedly establishing a relationship with PKR’s “political enemy”, in reference to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his fledgling Pejuang party, and said this might have led to the defections.
“I believe it is this two-faced behaviour that has caused uneasiness among Amanah members themselves.
“Perhaps, this is the reason why some are migrating to PKR, which is seen to be more principally firm and clear.”
It is unfair for Salahuddin to accuse PKR of going against the PH spirit merely because the party is an alternative for the former Amanah reps, who choose to remain in the coalition, he said.
“Does he want PKR to reject their applications and let them ‘freeze’ in Amanah, when their hearts are no longer there?
“It is not nice of Salahuddin to think negatively of the move taken by these three leaders, when they have chosen PKR instead of Bersatu, Amanah or PN.” – The Vibes, February 28, 2021
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