PKR wants parties to clam up

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali wants leaders in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition pact of Pas, DAP and PKR involved in a war of words to stop airing their differences in the media.

“I wish to urge and plead to the various parties in Pakatan (Rakyat) to stop taking their differences and conflicts through the media, especially the BN (Barisan Nasional) controlled ones.

“This includes not only the Selangor MB (Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) and the Kapar MP (Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam) but also the Selangor speaker (DAP’s Teng Chang Khim) and the Klang MP (DAP’s Charles Santiago),” he said in a statement here today.

Manikavasagam announced on Friday that he would quit PKR, saying he was dissatisfied with Khalid and the way the menteri besar ran the affairs of the state.

Khalid had responded yesterday by saying that Manikavasagam was free to resign if he wanted to and that he was not interested in meeting the MP or asking him to reconsider his decision to quit.

Santiago, however, was caught in a quandary after Teng accused him of having been bought over by the BN and behaving like an opposition leader.

“They should sit down and discuss and settle their differences and conflicts internally. There are various existing channels and procedures to do so,” said Syed Husin.

“He said that in the absence of PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail and adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who are away until Jan 6, he would call a meeting of the political bureau on Wednesday to discuss the main and related issues “in order to find a suitable solution”.

“The issue of the Kapar MP’s threat to leave PKR has been blown out of proportion by certain BN-controlled media. They have distorted statements by some Pakatan (Rakyat) leaders in order to portray as if the opposition alliance is in disarray.

“Obviously, their intention is to draw public attention away from the series of crises in the BN and also within major components of the government coalition, leading to the upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election,” Syed Husin added.

Bernama
28/12/08

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