Fairus hits out at PKR opponents

Last week's PKR state liaison committee meeting saw a rare outburst from the mild-mannered embattled Penang deputy chief minister Mohamad Fairus Khairuddin against what he called “sabotage from within” the party.

The outburst sharply targeted his arch rival Abdul Malik Kassim, another PKR executive councillor in the Pakatan Rakyat state government, for not lending any effective assistance to the deputy chief minister in carrying out the PKR agenda in the state administration.

Indeed, Abdul Malik was said to have been tagged as more "a DAP than a PKR man" in the state government under the stewardship of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Mohamad Fairus' emotion boiled over when Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng asked the PKR state chairperson Zahrain Mohd Hashim on the follow-up results of the PKR list of names submitted to the chief minister for appointments in several state government bodies.

At this point, Mohamad Fairus interjected and told the meeting that Abdul Malik had already submitted a list of names of his own to Lim before he could do it during a recent state executive council meeting.

It seems Abdul Malik's list of PKR appointees was not approved by the party state committee while the deputy chief minister's list was the official party list, which consisted of names of state party leaders and elected representatives.

Penanti assemblyperson Mohamad Fairus has apparently told the PKR meeting that Batu Maung assemblyperson Abdul Malik had did it on his own by submitting his list of names at the expense of party interests.

The PKR list of names was for appointments in Penang Water Supply Corporation, Penang Development Corporation and InvestPenang.

The deputy chief minister had also cited several other instances, in which Abdul Malik had apparently overstepped his boundary and undermined Mohamad Fairus position as PKR's number one man in Lim's administration.

Malicious character assassination

Several committee members also raised their displeasure at Abdul Malik’s seemingly “one-man show” in the state government at the expense of party interests.

They also chided the anti-Fairus bloggers for indulging in a malicious character assassination campaign against the deputy chief minister since he took office after last March general election.

Fresh evidence has already been submitted to the PKR top leadership on the identities of these bloggers, who were learnt to be PKR members linked to a party leader in Penang.

It is learnt that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has taken a personal interest in disciplining the Fairus detractors and resolving the spat between the party elected representatives.

Party sources said the newly-appointed state PKR deputy chairperson Mansor Othman was planning to set up a dynamic party team to assist Mohamad Fairus in his state administration.

“The team would assist Mohamad Fairus to execute his state duties efficiently,” said a source.

When contacted, Mohamad Fairus declined comment on his outburst and merely quipped that “I would rather air my views through proper party channel, unlike my anti-Fairus blogging friends”.

On the evidence submitted to Anwar, he said he would leave it to the party leadership to decide on the disciplinary action on his detractors.

“I can only advise them to stop their nonsense and non-productive way of blogging, and instead concentrate on helping the people,” said Mohamad Fairus.