Talk about sacked PKR members forming new party not true, says political aide

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — The political secretary to former PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin has dismissed talk that sacked PKR members will be forming a new political party soon.

Hizwan Ahmad said news reports indicating former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and several other MPs aligned with him have submitted an application to register a new political party are not true.

“This story is not true.

“Many who were sacked or left PKR, at present, have not joined any political party,” he told Malay Mail when contacted.

On Monday, The Star reported that the group is forming a new party as their previous applications to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, after leaving PKR, are still pending.

Responding to this, Hizwan said those who have been sacked or left PKR are now serving the people under a non-governmental organisation (NGO), National Community Policy Movement or Penggerak Dasar Komuniti Negara, a special committee created under the Housing and Local Government Ministry last July.

The special committee was set up when Zuraida was the housing and local government minister under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. Today, she still holds the same ministry portfolio as part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.

“We are currently using the NGO platform to serve the people.

“When it’s time, the top leadership will discuss and make a decision.

“There is no hurry,” he added.

Hizwan, however, did not specify which of the sacked PKR members have not joined political parties.

In February, both Azmin and Zuraida were fired from PKR.

The decision by the party’s Central Leadership Council (MPP) was made following their presence at a meeting between government and Opposition MPs at Sheraton Petaling Jaya in the same month, which was seen as being in conflict with party principles and its constitution.

Azmin had previously been rumoured to join Gerakan, which had quit Barisan Nasional after the coalition’s drubbing in the 14th general election.

On Saturday, a list emerged of the leaders of a new political party purportedly named Parti Keadilan Negara, suggesting that it is a breakaway from PKR.

In the list, Azmin was named as the de facto leader of the purported party, with Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein as its president.

Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who was named as the purported party’s secretary-general, has rejected the authenticity of the list.

Many of those among the purported pro-tem office holders were former leaders and lawmakers from Azmin’s faction that defected from PKR.

The leaders are now actively involved with several NGOs linked with Azmin and his faction, such as Pemuda Negara, Penggerak Komuniti Negara and Nation of Women.

It is believed that they are still recruiting additional members from PKR, Parti Amanah Negara, Parti Warisan Sabah, Bersatu and DAP.