Malaysian Indian lawmaker quits party, alliance

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Indian lawmaker N. Gobalakrishnan has resigned from the membership of People’s Justice Party (PKR) and the opposition alliance People’s Alliance (PR) after falling out with its leadership.

The first-timer from Padang Serai constituency in Kedah state said Saturday that he plans to stay as an independent.

Gobalakrishnan’s action to quit Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), coming after several weeks of a public spat with PKR leaders and speculation, holds significance amid talk of parliamentary elections likely to take place this summer, analysts said.

His exit from PKR proves that support for the party and its leader Anwar Ibrahim has diminished, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said.

Gobalakrishnan originally belonged to the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), the country’s largest Indian-based party, and was with MIC Youth, its youth wing.

“I have lost confidence in the leadership, especially in PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has long advocated reforms but failed to deliver it in his party,” he told the media.

“I have also lost confidence in the ability of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to capture Putrajaya as the opposition leader (Anwar) could not even settle his internal party matters.”

Anwar is the controversial former deputy prime minister who is currently facing a sodomy charge in court.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) or People’s Alliance is an informal Malaysian political coalition formed April 1, 2008. The political coalition comprises a group of Malaysian political parties, namely, the People’s Justice Party (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP), and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), who collectively worked together in what was colloquially called the Barisan Rakyat (People’s Front) during the 12th Malaysian general election in 2008.

–Indo Asian News Service