Zaid, Jeffrey slammed for 'selfishness' in not helping at Batu Sapi

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

As Pakatan Rakyat leaders led by Anwar Ibrahim work their guts out in Batu Sapi to launch PKR candidate Ansari Abdullah’s by-election campaign, disgusted party members are beginning to question the motives of Sabah PKR chief Jeffrey Kitingan and his close friend Zaid Ibrahim.

“Both men are believed to be in Sabah. In fact, there are other PKR leaders from the peninsula who are also with them and they are busy campaigning for Zaid in the PKR deputy presidency,” Sabah PKR communications director Ronnie Klassen told Malaysia Chronicle.

“That’s fine but why aren’t they showing solidarity with Anwar, their Ketua Umum, Lim Kit Siang and Mahfuz Omar. These guys are all working round the clock to bring reform to Sabahans, but Zaid and Jeffrey only seem to be interested in their own party positions. That's why they are drawing flak from other party members because they don't seem to be interested in Pakatan or PKR at all, but only in themselves.”

Not helping out in Batu Sapi

Indeed, the feeling of betrayal was apparent among many Sabah PKR members that Malaysia Chronicle spoke to. Batu Sapi campaigners had complained that in small villages, the people not only did not know Ansari's name, they could not even recognize the PKR party logo.

Ansari, a lawyer and the PKR Tuaran chief, is locked in a tight three-cornered fight against SAPP’s Yong Teck Lee and PBS’ Linda Tsen. Still seen as a dark horse, PKR has nevertheless closed the gap and it now remains to be seen if Anwar and Kit Siang can summon enough stamina to make the final push to overcome the mighty PBS – which coincidentally is headed by Jeffrey’s brother Joseph Pairin.

“Jeffrey has been in PKR for many years now, not like Zaid who joined last year. He has always been putting this guy down, that guy down because he says he wants Sabah for Sabahans. Yet when the crunch comes, as Anwar has seen for himself now, Jeffrey has not laid any groundwork for PKR at all. Imagine if we go into general elections next month, we will be wiped out completely!” Jacob K, another Batu Sapi watcher, told Malaysia Chronicle.

Selfish behavior

Although disappointed, the 63-year old Anwar has been tight-lipped about Jeffrey and Zaid, choosing to focus on his ceramahs and strengthening his rapport with the villagers. The first night the charismatic leader spent in Batu Sapi was a memorably lonely one as he is more used to being greeted by cheering crowds of thousands.

Ansari gets helping hand from S'gor MB Khalid Ibrahim

But Anwar did not give up and with the help of other PKR leaders, including Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and Batu MP Tian Chua, has managed to push up Ansari’s chances.

Nevertheless, once Batu Sapi is over - win or lose - his day of reckoning with Zaid and Jeffrey is bound to come, and sooner rather than later.

“Jeffrey asked for it. He oversold himself and now Anwar has to acknowledge the truth in what a lot of Sabah members have been telling him – Jeffrey hasn’t done a thing for PKR. To continue to rely on him or on Zaid to build the PKR machinery is for PKR to commit suicide in Sabah or anywhere else,” said Jacob.

“In fact, just on the grounds of selfishness and putting personal interest above party and coalition, many members feel both Zaid and Jeffrey should already be axed. This is serious. We are talking about war in the 13th GE and we only want those who will fight with PKR and Pakatan through thick and thin, and not for themselves.”

Meanwhile, in the PKR deputy presidential contest, vice president Azmin Ali has pulled clearly into the lead with 3,051 votes against Zaid’s 2,529. In third place is Mustaffa Kamil Ayub with 1,149 votes. So far, members from about 68 out of PKR's 205 divisions have cast their ballots.

Azmin is leading the PKR charge in Galas, where a simultaneous by-election is taking place, while Mustaffa is also chipping in with others to help PAS defend the state seat from Umno.

“This is a one-member one-vote polls so you can’t really tell until the big branches have voted. But I have to say that Azmin looks quite comfortable at the moment. Whatever it is, all PKR members should continue to stay alert and be careful of money politics or other funny going-ons, which we are going to check very thoroughly,” Tian told Malaysia Chronicle.