Gobalakrishnan calls Zaid’s Kita ‘beautiful’ but stays in PKR
By Clara Chooi
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 – Renegade MP N. Gobalakrishnan pledged his support for Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s Kita today, calling him a “beautiful man”, but insisted on remaining a PKR member.
“This is a beautiful party launched by a beautiful man,” Gobalakrishnan said when cornered by reporters this morning.
The Padang Serai MP was seen seated with Zaid, who recently resigned from PKR, during the latter’s glitzy launch of Kita, his new political platform, at the Sime Darby Convention Center here.
Also present at the function were other significant personalities like PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas, former PKR secretary-general Salehuddin Hashim and representatives from Sarawak’s SNAP, Sabah’s SAPP, Parti Cinta Malaysia, PAS, PKR and DAP.
But despite his presence, Gobalakrishnan brushed aside talk that he would soon join Kita although he presently faces the likelihood of disciplinary action by PKR.
“I am still a member of PKR. Nobody can just throw me out from PKR like that. I was in PKR even when (PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim was rotting in jail.
“They can try to throw out leaders but I will still fight. I will cross the bridge when I get there,” he told reporters at the function.
Kita, or Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air, is still formally recognised by the Registrar of Societies as the Kelantan-based Akim, or Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim), which does not permit non-Muslim membership.
Gobalakrishnan also said he refused to respond to the show-cause letter he received from the PKR leadership earlier this month, which demanded an explanation for his recent criticisms of top leaders.
This, he said, was due to shoddy work by party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.
“They sent me a letter dated January 10, informing me that they have decided to allow me an additional seven days to respond to the show-cause letter, beginning from the date in the notice itself.
“But I received the letter on January 17, which means I have no time to respond. He should learn how to do a secretary-general’s work,” said Gobalakrishnan.
But he insisted that despite his refusal to respond, the party had no legal right to summarily expel him without going through the due process of inquiry.
“I won’t be fired and they cannot fire me. Because we have laws so how can they just sack me?
“Anwar is not God-sent and he is not God. He is just another ordinary member of PKR,” he said.
When pressed to answer if he planned of joining Kita should PKR expel him, Gobalakrishnan insisted that he was still in PKR.
He, however, admitted to agreeing with Kita’s ideals and plans for transformation in the country and offered his support for the new party and its leaders.
He also sang praises for Zaid, pointing out that the latter was a man of principle who never backtracked on his words.
“What he says is true and I know that many consider him a loose canon but he never reneges on his words.
“He always sticks to what he says, he is a good politician and leader and I wish him the best,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan claimed that everyone should be attracted to Kita’s ideology, even Anwar himself.
“I think everyone is attracted to Kita, including you and me.
“Even Anwar, I am sure, is very attracted because he never practises what he preaches so when he sees this, he will realise the error of his ways,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 – Renegade MP N. Gobalakrishnan pledged his support for Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s Kita today, calling him a “beautiful man”, but insisted on remaining a PKR member.
“This is a beautiful party launched by a beautiful man,” Gobalakrishnan said when cornered by reporters this morning.
The Padang Serai MP was seen seated with Zaid, who recently resigned from PKR, during the latter’s glitzy launch of Kita, his new political platform, at the Sime Darby Convention Center here.
Also present at the function were other significant personalities like PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas, former PKR secretary-general Salehuddin Hashim and representatives from Sarawak’s SNAP, Sabah’s SAPP, Parti Cinta Malaysia, PAS, PKR and DAP.
But despite his presence, Gobalakrishnan brushed aside talk that he would soon join Kita although he presently faces the likelihood of disciplinary action by PKR.
“I am still a member of PKR. Nobody can just throw me out from PKR like that. I was in PKR even when (PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim was rotting in jail.
“They can try to throw out leaders but I will still fight. I will cross the bridge when I get there,” he told reporters at the function.
Kita, or Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air, is still formally recognised by the Registrar of Societies as the Kelantan-based Akim, or Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim), which does not permit non-Muslim membership.
Gobalakrishnan also said he refused to respond to the show-cause letter he received from the PKR leadership earlier this month, which demanded an explanation for his recent criticisms of top leaders.
This, he said, was due to shoddy work by party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.
“They sent me a letter dated January 10, informing me that they have decided to allow me an additional seven days to respond to the show-cause letter, beginning from the date in the notice itself.
“But I received the letter on January 17, which means I have no time to respond. He should learn how to do a secretary-general’s work,” said Gobalakrishnan.
But he insisted that despite his refusal to respond, the party had no legal right to summarily expel him without going through the due process of inquiry.
“I won’t be fired and they cannot fire me. Because we have laws so how can they just sack me?
“Anwar is not God-sent and he is not God. He is just another ordinary member of PKR,” he said.
When pressed to answer if he planned of joining Kita should PKR expel him, Gobalakrishnan insisted that he was still in PKR.
He, however, admitted to agreeing with Kita’s ideals and plans for transformation in the country and offered his support for the new party and its leaders.
He also sang praises for Zaid, pointing out that the latter was a man of principle who never backtracked on his words.
“What he says is true and I know that many consider him a loose canon but he never reneges on his words.
“He always sticks to what he says, he is a good politician and leader and I wish him the best,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan claimed that everyone should be attracted to Kita’s ideology, even Anwar himself.
“I think everyone is attracted to Kita, including you and me.
“Even Anwar, I am sure, is very attracted because he never practises what he preaches so when he sees this, he will realise the error of his ways,” he said.
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