KPI failure pushing PKR MPs to jump ship

By G. Manimaran

PENANG, Jan 31 – Several PKR MPs from Penang, Selangor and Kedah are considering defecting to Barisan Nasional due to a failure to perform and the fear of being dropped from contesting in the next general elections, party officials told The Malaysian Insider.

Newly-minted PKR elections director Fuziah Salleh revealed the party has been assessing the performance and effectiveness of its elected representatives, sparking fear and pushing some of them to consider their future options.

One of them is believed to be disgruntled Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim (pic) who has reportedly offered himself and others to BN.

Party sources said some of the others are from Selangor and Kedah.

“I am worried that they have assessed themselves and figured they might not make the cut again... But we are assessing them to reach the standards demanded by the voters,” she told The Malaysian Insider.

“What we want to do is to help them give better service to the people. But if they feel that they might not be picked again, they will consider other options,” the Kuantan MP said, adding the assessment of all elected representatives began a month ago.

She disclosed the assessment covered the performance of PKR MPs in parliament, accessibility to voters and effectiveness of their service centres.

PKR has 31 of Pakatan Rakyat’s 82 lawmakers in the Parliament apart from running the Selangor state government. Its ally PAS has 23 MPs and runs both Kedah and Kelantan while DAP has 28 MPs and controls Penang.

Penang PKR chairman Mansor Othman acknowledged yesterday that up to four party MPs, including his predecessor Zahrain, have indicated their “intention” to join BN and help it get the two-thirds parliamentary majority to enable it to pass constitutional amendments on its own.

Apart from Zahrain, the other Penang PKR MPs are Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Permatang Pauh), Tan Tee Beng (Nibong Tebal) dan Mohd Yusmadi Yusoff (Balik Pulau). Efforts to get Zahrain’s comments have been futile.

Mansor refused to say who the other MPs are but it is understood that up to 10 could be involved, including federal lawmakers from Selangor and Kedah.

Fuziah also confirmed the possibility of defectors due to the assessment system but said the party had just wanted to improve their performance rather than point out their weaknesses, citing the case of Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah who left the party when Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim recommended he resign the seat.

“The issue is the same ... they see it from their side,” she said.

It is understood that the PKR supreme council meeting this morning will discuss the issue of recalcitrant party leaders, including Zahrain who restarted a simmering feud with Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng this past week by calling him a “dictator, a chauvinist and communist-minded”.

Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin, who has broken a media gag over the ‘Allah’ issue when complaining about PAS Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, has also supported Zahrain’s stand.

The Penang DAP has said Zahrain’s outburst was due to political frustration and anger over a business deal stopped by Lim.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has urged the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council meeting today to set up a disciplinary committee to deal with intransigent leaders, saying they were setting back the coalition’s hard-won gains since Election 2008.

I can already name five , off hand ! Wait for the show to start !