KUALA LUMPUR – Ampang MP Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin’s departure from Bersatu this morning has garnered a mixed reaction from various quarters, with some lambasting and labelling her as a “frog”.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has refused to pass up the opportunity to take a swipe at Zuraida when he posted on Facebook regarding her latest political move.
He mocked her for quitting Bersatu to join the fledgling Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), saying “she’s willing to leave ‘abah’ (the moniker given to Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin)”.
The Pekan MP said Zuraida’s action is customary for some Malaysian politicians who claim that they “jump” for the sake of the people.
“Enter PKR, exit PKR. Enter Bersatu, exit PKR. Enter PBM…so on and so forth.
“That is Malaysian politics. For the sake of the people,” he sarcastically said.
Meanwhile, Zuraida’s political secretary Muhamad Shazlee Muhamad Nazlee said her leaving Bersatu proves her bravery and that she is not power crazy.
In a statement today, Shazlee said it is apparent that position and power are not her priority.
Since being appointed as the plantation industries and commodities minister, he said, Zuraida has shown outstanding performance by making her ministry one of the main ministries responsible for increasing the nation’s income.
“In fact, month after month, she ensured that commodity prices remained at good levels to help increase the income of small oil palm planters and rubber tappers.
“This does not include the dozens of series of tours and field trips she made to listen to the problems of the rubber tappers and oil palm planters, so that the survival of this group is guaranteed.”
So, he said, Zuraida’s decision to quit Bersatu was driven by courage and principle, because she has chosen a principled political path and not to “play safe”. – The Vibes, May 26, 2022
