KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Protestations continue to emanate from PKR over coverage of an alleged internal feud behind the unforced by-election in Kajang, this time from treasurer general William Leong who painted the poll as one that would save Selangor — and Malaysia — from multiple disasters.
Explaining that the state and the country were on course for a “perfect storm” of economic, political and social turmoil, the Selayang MP said a “courageous leader” was needed to ensure “a better tomorrow” for the children of all Malaysians.
Going beyond what party colleague and strategy director Rafizi Ramli had spelled out in a treatise on the subject on Wednesday, Leong today held up warnings of a possible repeat of the Asian Financial Crisis as well as rising cost of living in Malaysia as additional factors that necessitated PKR to create a vacancy in Selangor for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest.
“Despite Rafizi Ramli explaining in his article ‘The Kajang Move: A Game-Changer for Putrajaya’ that Anwar is contesting the by-election to meet Umno changing tack in intensifying racial and religious tensions, the media, for obvious reasons, continues to play up the internal power struggle angle,” Leong said in a statement today.
Today, Leong also accused the media of ignoring the praise afforded to Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s administration and only harping on the brickbats, before going on to recount a laundry list of “concerns” with the Selangor government such as the mentri besar’s “frugality” in amassing RM3 billion in excess funds, among others.
While repeating the refrain that the Kajang by-election was aimed at giving priority to the people and addressing the alleged sabotage faced by the Khalid administration as well as the impending economic and social problems headed for Malaysia, Leong did not provide insight on how any of this would be achieved beyond citing the need for a “strong Selangor government.”
“Strengthening” the Selangor administration is a recurrent theme in communications from PKR over the matter, beginning with Lee Chin Cheh’s cryptic note on his resignation to “Kajang Move” mastermind Rafizi’s explanation of the gambit.
But the party’s refusal to go beyond allusions and innuendoes continue to fuel speculation that the intricate move was simply a case of party intrigue played out in public view, that Anwar was forced to intervene to pre-empt a full-blown power struggle in the state that risked infecting the rest of Pakatan Rakyat.
It also provides rival Barisan Nasional with ample ammunition to attack PKR for treating Kajang voters as their plaything, abusing democracy, wasting public funds to hold an unnecessary by-election, and more.
The proximity of the Kajang poll to the government’s appeal of Anwar’s acquittal over his second sodomy charges also invited allegations that the move was being orchestrated to apply pressure on the judiciary and serve as a distraction.
In a surprise move on Monday, PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh resigned as Kajang assemblyman without giving a reason, paving the way for Anwar to contest the by-election.
The move came not long after media speculation that a state by-election would be triggered to pave the way for Anwar to become a member of the Selangor assembly and qualify to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as MB.
While popular with the general public, Khalid’s penchant for unilateral decision-making in administering the country’s wealthiest state is understood to be a source of dissatisfaction among PR leaders in the state.
