JOHOR BARU, March 14 — PKR’s Hassan Abdul Karim cautioned his party’s leadership to uphold its standards and not turn the party into a “garbage bin” by admitting tainted applicants even if they were high-profile or senior politicians.
He said PKR must conduct proper checks and screening before accepting new members.
“Those with criminal records, bankrupt and have corruption-related cases should not be accepted into PKR.
“It is only appropriate and the party’s responsibility to check on these new applicants, especially senior leaders from other parties, as PKR was built on the premise of justice and reform.
“Those who are parasitic, rowdy, opportunistic, rogue and corrupt must be rejected as soon as possible," said Hassan in a statement today.
The Pasir Gudang MP was responding to PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who said to expect more high-profile leaders from Perikatan Nasional (PN) to quit their respective parties and join PKR soon.
This follows several senior Pari Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia members who had quit and recently joined PKR.
Hassan said his message to the PKR leadership on accepting new members, formerly from other political parties, including those who were previously hostile towards the party, was an example from the "sirah" — or Islamic biographical literature — of Prophet Muhammad.
He said Prophet Muhammad took an open, but yet careful and prudent attitude, before accepting people from different parties and tribes to join in his struggle for Islam.
Aside from that, Hassan also openly welcomes all individuals, including those formerly from other parties, irrespective if they were ordinary party members of leaders, to join PKR.
However, the former Johor PKR chief said these prospective members need to meet the minimum condition that they are honest and truthful in accepting policies and ideals as enshrined in the party’s constitution.
“PKR members need to think positive and be big-hearted as well as open-minded. We should avoid being presumptuous, arrogant and antagonistic in our ways.
“PKR is a reformist party for the masses and not a party only for the elite," he said.
Saifuddin was reported saying yesterday that he expects more high-profile individuals from PN to leave their respective parties and join PKR.
He said PKR has received applications from several big-name Opposition leaders who are interested in joining PKR.
On Tuesday, former Bersatu supreme council member and former Klang Bersatu Youth chief Muhammad Faiz Na'aman, revealed that more leaders and pioneer members from the party will join PKR.
Apart from Muhammad Faiz, the latest addition of former Bersatu senior members that have joined PKR include former Dengkil state assemblyman Adhif Syan Abdullah.
This comes shortly after several elected representatives from Bersatu had broken party ranks and openly supported the unity government.
The latest was Bersatu’s Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari who declared his support for the leadership of Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on March 6.
In January, Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman challenged the party to sack all its MPs who expressed support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Suhaili, suspended for six years effective last November by Bersatu, was one of the party’s six MPs who openly supported Anwar because it would make it easier for them to receive aid for their constituents.
The other five Bersatu MPs who expressed their support for Anwar were Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang).
