PKR: Another round of turbulence?

After considerable turbulence earlier this month culminating in the exit from PKR of Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Mohd Hashim, another possible spate of defections seems on the cards.

This time, it’s from within PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim’s very stronghold in Penang.    

The Star today reported the resignation of 77 PKR Youth members from Anwar’s parliamentary constituency, Permatang Pauh, to join Umno.

Among them, said the report, were Guar Jering branch deputy Youth chief Fakhrul Che Umar and branch treasurer Hesabudin Md Isa.

"After two years in power, the bickering between the Pakatan component parties has worsened.

“Can you imagine what will happen if Pakatan controlled the federal government?" Fakhrul was reported as saying yesterday at a function with Penang Umno chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Fakhrul, who is reported to have been among PKR's pioneer members, said the Youth wing had not received any allocation from PKR to organise events for the people. "What has PKR done for us here?" he asked.

Hesabudin said Pakatan had neglected the people's welfare and the economy because they were busy fighting among themselves.

Hesabudin and Fakhrul handed their application froms to join Umno with the others to Guar Jering Umno branch chief Saiful Hassan.

Ahmad Zahid was reported as having said at the function that PKR Youth members had now realised that Anwar was no longer "relevant".

"They supported him because they believed that his struggle was for Islam and Malay rights. Clearly he has misled them," he said.

Fairus defecting to Umno?

As if that were not enough, PKR's former Penang deputy chief minister I and former Penanti assembly representative Mohd Fairus Khairuddin was reported to have attended a silat function along with some Umno leaders.

The Star reported today that Fairus’ presence at the function, which was to be launched by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, is fuelling speculation that he would be defecting to Umno together with another PKR member.

Two weeks ago, Bayan Baru MP Zahrain, who was also formerly Penang PKR chairperson, resigned from the party, citing disappointment over the leadership of Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and the PKR struggle within the opposition pact.