2 Kedah reps quit PKR in blow to Mukhriz
Lunas and Sidam assemblymen say they no longer have confidence in PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.
SUNGAI PETANI: Two PKR assemblymen in Kedah today announced their resignation from the party, dealing a blow to Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir who had remained in power with the support from 17 of the 36 representatives in the state assembly.
Sidam assemblyman Robert Ling Kui Ee and Lunas assemblyman Azman Nasarudin announced their decision at a joint press conference here.
This means that PAS, which has 15 seats, backed by Umno’s two seats, is likely to command the majority support to form the state government.
Ling and Azman said they had lost confidence in the leadership of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, and would now stand as independents. However, they added that they would maintain friendly relations with Perikatan Nasional.
Azman, who is Kedah executive councillor, told reporters that party members were allowed to have differences in opinion when he joined in 2004.
“But since 2018, things have changed. From being democratic, it has turned into a party about certain individuals.
“The fight was just to make one person the prime minister, that was the agenda.”
He claimed there had also been “family politics” at play.
“We will fully support Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister and the Perikatan Nasional government,” he added.
Azman also claimed that 15 PKR divisions in the state were planning to quit the party.
Asked about a change in state government, he said it was “likely”.
Although he would be an independent, he said, he would be friendly to PPBM, “the same way my boss Azmin Ali is”.
Ling, too, said he would be friendly with PPBM.
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“Who knows, maybe I will be an associate member,” he added.