MP Wee questions Karpal support for Anwar

By Adib Zalkapli

Karpal has backed Anwar to stay on as opposition leader. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong today questioned Karpal Singh’s sincerity in declaring his support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to continue as opposition leader.

The PKR man said he raised the matter as the DAP national chairman had last year asked Anwar to step down after the Pakatan Rakyat-led Perak government collapsed when four of its lawmakers quit the party to become Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters.

“The position of the opposition leader, which is held by YB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has not been questioned by any of the opposition MPs,” said Wee in a statement posted in his blog.

“Therefore, it should not be an issue for YB Karpal Singh to make such a statement unless YB Karpal Singh is trying to show that he had ‘repented’ for casting aspersions upon the opposition leader on Feb 8, 2009,” said Wee, who was formerly a DAP member.

Karpal had last year, in condemning party-hopping, asked Anwar to repent for planning to form the Federal government through defections of BN MPs on Sept 16, 2008.

The Bukit Gelugor MP’s declaration of support, reported in today’s The Star was made as Anwar’s position has come under question as PKR was no longer the largest opposition party in Parliament following the departure of four of its MPs.

PKR now controls 27 seats, while DAP has 28 and PAS, 23.

“Quite frankly, I find it extremely hard to reconcile YB Karpal Singh’s above statement, even if he has repented, with what he has said on Feb 8, 2009,” said Wee.

“To show his sincerity, I call upon YB Karpal Singh to immediately declare that he has now repented and wish to withdraw his said condemnation of the opposition leader, YB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and unreservedly apologise for his outburst on Feb 8, 2009,” he added.