PKR is 'not for us any more'
Ahmad A Talib
LEHA is way down in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat food chain. For many years, this young mother held on to her hope that the party would form the next government. Jaafar, her husband, had harboured the same hope, too.
The couple have a small flat at Kondo Rakyat in Kg Kerinchi, Lembah Pantai. During the recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri and last week's Hari Raya Aidiladha, the couple sold lemang to supplement their income.
They make excellent lemang. At RM8 per stick, it's a good buy. But events in the PKR in past few months have made Leha and Jaafar frustrated, angry, disappointed and disillusioned.
Leha has made enquiries about joining Umno and is anxious to sign up as soon as possible.
While Leha and Jaafar are at the lower end of the PKR hierarchy, top leader Datuk Zaid Ibrahim is just as frustrated. He couldn't take any more of the squabbles within the party and announced his departure on Friday.
Lawyer Zaid is not likely to join any other party, having burned his bridges with Umno when he jumped onto the PKR bandwagon. He harbours a different ambition -- that of forming his own political party.
Leha and Jaafar are not following Zaid in his new venture. Zaid, as far as the couple are concerned, is but one of the many reasons for the internal squabbles in the party. The PKR crisis shows no sign of easing off, which leaves the likes of Leha and Jaafar seething.
Leha said: "The PKR leaders are ungrateful. In the last general election, I worked liked a dog to help Nurul Izzah, Anwar's daughter, beat then incumbent member of parliament Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in Lembah Pantai.
"Nurul would call me often. If no calls, there were always SMSes. As a grassroots leader, I have my own circle of friends. With little sleep but plenty of sweat, we helped sent Nurul Izzah to Parliament.
"Today, I hardly get any call from her. No SMS, too."
For the record, Nurul Izzah garnered 21,728 votes compared with 18,883 for Shahrizat. The likes of Leha and Jaafar helped gave Nurul Izzah the 2,895-vote majority.
Leha has some unsavoury words about her MP, but I chose not to share them with everyone.
Her husband was a bit more dramatic. At a press conference last week, Jaafar brought along a pair of tombstones to show everyone that they were meant for PKR's grave when the time came. I later found out that the tombstones were actually meant as replacement tombstones for his late sister-in-law, who died many years ago.
Asked why he brought the tombstones, Jaafar said: "Saya benci PKR. Saya dah tak tahan lagi. Cakap tak serupa bikin. Penuh dengan janji-janji manis tetapi kosong. Parti ini tiada prinsip, tiada maruah." (I hate PKR. I can't stand it any more. No action, only talk. They make empty promises. They have no principles, no dignity.)
Zaid, too, have had enough of the PKR squabbles. Political observers had concluded much earlier that Zaid would leave the party sooner or later for the simple reason that he won't fit into the PKR framework.
Zaid's entry into PKR was met with a massive drum roll and warm greetings. Many had high hopes that Zaid's entry would strengthen the party. But as Leha, Jaafar and senior party leaders later found out, this was not to be.
Zaid was seen as a troublemaker, of trying to subvert and challenge the leadership of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Battle lines were drawn and it was only a matter of time before matters came to a boil.
Zaid didn't do all that well in PKR, too, having lost to Barisan Nasional's P. Kamalanathan in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election earlier this year.
Zaid was beaten by the friendly Kamalanathan with a majority of 1,725 votes. If PKR had hoped that Zaid would strengthen the party, this defeat was certainly not the way to go. Zaid's critics said this was the start of Zaid's problems in the party.
Zaid's departure from PKR may not be the last, at least from the top-end of the hierarchy. Others may follow. At the lower-end of the scale, leaders like Leha are already making their way to join Umno. This is really a testing time for members who are still in the party.
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PKR is not the only party that uses people that way. UMNO, MIC, MCA, Gerakan, PAS, DAP and many others including NGOs are sama, sama.
Let’s be honest Malaysians are by nature demanding, selfish and greedy, right or not? Ask yourself and be honest and truthful.
When Daim was the Finance Minister I had strangers and friends coming to my house asking for projects, education funds and some wanting to work in his companies. One Japanese even send me a gift worth RM20,000 which I decline to accept and told him to give it to Mahani or Ida. Even an old friend whom I had not seen for several years begged me to talk to Daim for a job using our friendship as an excuse. For a couple of months my family was invited to lunches and dinners at five stars hotels and restaurants. I rejected every single request and even ask some of them why I should help them when I myself had not ask for a single project from Daim. Many left frustrated and angry.
Today these people would pretend not to know me because they have managed to secure funds for education, projects and are even working for Daim through the help of Mahani, Naim and Josephine.
When Mahani was running Syarikat Maluri, for a short period of time, many staff walked out because the Crazy Woman or Ritchie bitch which was Mahani’s nickname, was suspicious that they were all sleeping with Daim. Also Ritchie bitch’s mouth has nothing nice or sweet when it comes to character assassination, which the ex-staff are more than happy to vouch. When one by one started to leave, Daim got angry and told Ritchie bitch to get some of them back. So Ritchie bitch had no choice but to go begging for their return. Ritchie bitch was then seen everywhere in Taman Maluri crying and begging them on the road sides, going to their homes and even called them many times a day. Later when it was confirmed that none of them were willing to return Ritchie bitch again bad mouth them. Ritchie bitch last victim was none other than Camelia who used to be with Wira.
For every past by-election certain leaders from PKR would call up my friends to do this or that. At times, calls and SMS would come in every two minutes and your calls to them would be answered. When election is over, there is absolutely big silent from these leaders. Even calls and messages to their cell phones are never answered. There is no thank you or dinner to show their appreciation for the work done. Then if you just happen to meet them in a function they would be reluctant to shake your hands. When corner why they behave like that, they would say busy and not to worry when the time comes they will not be forgotten. This kind of excuses I have heard many times over the years from UMNO, MCA, DAP, PAS and PKR leaders. They are all the same. When they need you, you are their best friend but the minute there is no need for your service you are a beggar. The people who left UMNO and PKR are no better too.
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