5 PKR chiefs will not support PPBM candidates

IPOH: Five Perak PKR divisions yesterday expressed frustration over Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) use of PKR’s logo.

Voicing their dissatisfaction at a press conference here, the leaders of Grik, Lenggong, Kuala Kangsar, Tapah and Parit PKR said they would not give their support to PPBM candidates.

Lenggong PKR division chief Id Azalan Shah Banyamin said it was hard for members who had put in so much effort for the 14th General Election to accept PPBM candidates who used the PKR logo.

“We have told our members and (election) machinery to be calm and keep doing our work, but the grassroots members want their own candidates to be nominated, instead of ‘helicopter’ candidates or those who come only during the election period and then disappear.

“The affected PKR divisions have had to answer all kinds of questions from unhappy members and voters.”

Tapah PKR chief Adanan Talib said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the cause of disunity in PKR.

“PPBM has grabbed seats that should’ve been given to PKR. PKR should be contesting in all parliamentary and state constituencies, but there are places where there are no PKR candidates even though we have been active in those areas for a long time.

“This is not a pact but a domination.”

He said some PKR members and supporters were unsure whether PPBM was an asset or a liability to the opposition.

“PPBM is a liability,” Adanan said, adding that he believed none of the PPBM candidates could be trusted to stay loyal to the opposition pact.

He urged PKR leaders to be wary of PPBM.

These sentiments were shared by PKR division chiefs Mohd Khair Mohd Zainal of Kuala Kangsar, Usaili Alias of Parit and Kaha Othman of Grik.

They complained five parliamentary and five state seats in Perak that should have been PKR’s were given to PPBM.

These are Lumut, Tapah, Gerik, Bukit Chandan and Bota.