PKR Kuala S'gor stronger without the 13 troublemakers

PKR leaders have lashed out at yet another bold-faced attempt to destabilize the Selangor state government by discrediting Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

According to Tuan Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud, the head of PKR Kelana Jaya, the statements made by Arshad Abu Bakar, Khalid's deputy in PKR Kuala Selangor, were false.

“The statement that the Kuala Selangor division has been dissolved with the resignation of 13 committee members is completely untrue,” Tuan Syed Shahir said in an email received by Harakahdaily..

“The Parti Keadilan Rakyat constitution Section 25.8 clearly states that any dissolution of a division can only be made after an extraordinary general meeting of the division. If it is true that the 13 committee members have resigned, then an EGM must be held to elect a lineup in accordance with Section 25.9 of the party constitution.”

On Wednesday, Arshad had told a press conference that 13 of the 16 elected division committee members, including the youth and wanita chiefs, had quit.

Claiming that they have lost confidence in Khalid, Arshad said the division had also been disbanded.

Nevertheless, despite the news being played up the mainstream media, PKR leaders including Khalid himself were unfazed.

The MB pointed out that all 13 were Umno members, who had joined PKR in the hope of securing high office and benefits.

But unhappy with the party's priority on meritocracy, they were now returning to Umno.

“The claim of loss of confidence is nothing unusual. Perhaps the statement was written by Umno for him to read,” Khalid had said in a caustic response.

He also revealed that an election to choose a new committee was already due in March.

“That is why some want to quit their posts,” he said, adding that it was better for those who were unhappy to leave rather than cause trouble for other members.

The MB also said PKR would have no problems replacing the 13, pointing out that the Kuala Selangor division has already grown to 3,000 members, compared with just 100 in early 2007.