PETALING JAYA: Datuk Zaid Ibrahim dropped a bombshell this morning — he will back out of the deputy president’s race if Nurul Izzah Anwar (pic) contests for the post.
At a Press conference at noon today, Zaid quashed rumours that he was quitting Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
“I am willing to make way for Nurul Izzah if she is running for deputy president,” he told the Press at the Tropicana Golf Resort today.
“I will endorse her and give my full support. But if she decides not to, I will definitely contest.”
The endorsement puts another No 2 hopeful, Azmin Ali, in a spot. If Nurul Izzah, who is vying for one of the four vice-president posts, goes for the deputy presidency, she is headed for a collision course with Azmin.
The former de facto law minister had of late been critical of the party leadership in the lead-up to his vying for PKR’s deputy presidency – particularly towards “Team Azmin”.
Talk was rife that PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim favoured Azmin as deputy president, and the latter is currently leading the nominations for the post ahead of Zaid.
Zaid, however, has more support than Azmin from party divisions in East Malaysia where PKR is desperate to gain support.
While he was still in Umno, the lawyer turned politician was appointed a senator and later Cabinet minister in 2008 during Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s rule.
He resigned from his minister’s post in September that year, in protest against the use of the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA) to detain blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng.
The maverick politician was sacked from Umno in December 2008 after he was spotted with opposition members on more than one occasion.
He later joined PKR in June last year.
Zaid represented PKR in the Hulu Selangor by-election this year but lost to first-timer P. Kamalanathan of MIC, in which he accused the BN of practising corruption to win the election.
He filed a petition to declare the by-election result null and void, but failed in his application.
‘She’s a breath of fresh air’
FEDERAL Territory PKR chief and deputy president-hopeful Datuk Zaid Ibrahim spoke to the Press at his residence this afternoon to announce his support towards Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar to go for deputy presidency.
He also quashed rumours that he was quitting the party, but did went on to express disillusionment towards PKR. Below is the excerpt of the news conference.
Q: Rumours are rife that you are quitting PKR because of your dissatisfaction towards the party. In fact, it is believed you were going to announce your resignation in this Press conference.
A: The rumours of me quitting have been played about for the past few weeks. But no, I’m not resigning. I’m not even close to making such a decision. This Press conference was to announce that I want to support Nurul Izzah if she goes for deputy presidency.
Q: Why the strong show of support for Nurul Izzah? Will you be stepping down from the deputy presidency race if Nurul Izzah decides contend for the post?
A: I see Nurul Izzah as a breath of fresh air in the party. She is someone who is young and able to attract new members. I am willing to step down if she decides to contest so that I don’t ruin her chances of winning the post. I will offer my full support to her in the contest. But I am not ruling out contesting from any other posts in the party. Unless Nurul Izzah doesn’t want to go for deputy presidency, then I will definitely go for it. My priority is to make sure she wins, and I will sacrifice for it.
Q: Have you spoken to Nurul Izzah about this?
A: Yes, I have. But I don’t know if she wants to go for it yet. I know she has enough nominations to contest. But you have to ask her yourself.
Q: You have been quite vocal about your dissatisfaction towards the party.
A: I am disappointed with a lot of things in the party. There’s plenty of “dirty politics” being practiced by PKR members. I have been the victim of many personal attacks. I’ve been called a “Trojan Horse”. They accuse me of being backed by Umno and Chinese businessmen. I was even accused of backing Rahimi Osman. Who is this Rahimi? I don’t even know who he is. This is the kind of culture I am against. Attacking people without any evidence, any proof.
Q: Do you have any regrets in joining the party?
A: There’s no such thing as regret. If you face a problem, you just deal with it. All parties have their own problems. I still have many friends and supporters who want to see me in the leadership. I want to help bring change into the party. I don’t want to see this negative culture to continue in the party.
Q: A lot of your PKR colleagues are not happy that you spoke to Utusan Malaysia – an Umno-controlled media. Are you still going to continue to speak to them?
A: How can you say you are a “reformist” but you select which Press to speak to? So, if I can’t speak to Utusan, what about Berita Harian? What about New Straits Times? What about the Star? If I don’t speak to the media, who else do I speak to? As far as I am concerned, I will not stay quiet and I will continue to do what I’ve always been doing.
?The Malay Mail
