By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Did the newly-independent Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim (picture) over-play his hand by his “revelations” in Parliament last week that eight Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs would have helped Pakatan Rakyat (PR) capture Putrajaya in 2008?
Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said Zahrain’s disclosure of the BN MPs’ identities, who were to help realise Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s September 16 plan, may backfire.
“It hurts the ruling coalition more than Pakatan Rakyat ,” said Khoo, adding disclosing the name only casts doubts on whether MPs in BN’s own ranks can be trusted by their peers.
Zahrain listed the MPs who were to jump as Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (BN-Gua Musang), Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan), Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (BN-Kimanis), Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan), Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (BN-Batu Pahat) and Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar (BN-Jerantut).
He also named Datuk Chua Soon Bui (SAPP-Tawau) and Datuk Eric Majimbun (SAPP-Sepanggar), who did quit BN and sit as Independents in the House.
“I’m surprised at the strategy, what will their colleagues in BN think of them?” added Khoo, pointing out that Sept 16 was an old story which didn’t happen and Zahrain disclosures was nothing new.
For two consecutive days Zahrain, who left PKR on February 12 to become an Independent MP, took pot shots at the Opposition Leader’s planned take-over of the Federal Government after Election 2008.
University lecturer James Chin pointed out that only politicians remember Sept 16 and that its impact on Anwar and PR was minimal. It does, however, provide more ammunition for the Umno-owned media to use against the opposition.
Chin said Zahrain’s disclosure on what transpired before September 16 will only make it harder for Anwar to try to use the defection route again.
“They (BN MPs) will think twice about trusting Anwar and it will be difficult for him to trigger defections,” said the political analyst from Monash University Sunway.
However he added that most people would take what the now independent MP is saying with a pinch of salt.
“In general, most Malaysians don’t like defectors as they’re see them as traitors.”
While agreeing that Zahrain’s disclosures may have no impact on diehard PR supporters, social scientist Dr Chandra Muzafar says fence-sitters will see Anwar in a different light.
The former Keadilan deputy president expressed no surprise at Zahrain disclosures because similar promises about defections from BN were made by Anwar, when the opposition party was in its infancy.
“As someone who was with Anwar, we were told many ‘tales”, such as 20 MPs quitting BN to form a new party,” Chandra told The Malaysian Insider.
DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said the BN looks as if they are trying to “milk” any political mileage they can get from Zahrain’s defection but their strategy in Parliament remains unclear.
The Petaling Jaya Utara MP said besides being a personal betrayal of Anwar, the disclosures are unlikely to have any major impact on the opposition.
“It’s personal more than anything else,” he said, adding Zahrain’s speech in Parliament was very well ‘choreographed’.
“For the first time he had a prepared speech and all BN MPs including ministers were in the House.”
Pua said the move may have even been planned by BN to shame their MPs from ever cutting a deal with Anwar.
“Who knows what message he was trying to send?” he added.
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