The former Keadilan Perlis Youth deputy head Syed Araniri Syed Ahmad has defected to Umno saying that he is disappointed with Keadilan's struggle.

He handed over his application to Perlis Umno chief and Menteri Besar Shahidan Kassim in Kangar last night, according to a Bernama report.

Araniri, 28, claimed that 300 of his supporters had also left Keadilan for Umno and that he and several others had set-up an operations centre for ex-Keadilan Perlis Youth members in Kangar.

"I neither expected nor received any gift or promise on joining Umno and did so on my own accord," he said adding that he no longer had any confidence in Keadilan's struggle.

Desperate attempt

Yesterday, eight Keadilan Perlis leaders crossed-over to Umno. They included Keadilan Perlis deputy head and Kangar division chief Mohd Shariff Abdul Razak who was also Keadilan's operations director for this Saturday's Indera Kayangan by-election.

Others who left included state treasurer Suzairy Salim, state information chief/Padang Besar division Youth head Ridzuan Abu Hassan, state secretary/Padang Besar division secretary Rosli Debok and state/Padang Besar information chief Zakaria Salleh.

Keadilan vice-president Mohd Azmin Ali was quoted by news reports today as saying that the defections were 'a desperate attempt by Barisan Nasional to gain support'.

He said the party's election machinery was not affected and Keadilan would continue its campaigning for the by-election which will see a straight fight between MCA's Oui Ah lan, 59, and Keadilan's Khoo Yang Chang, 60.