Gobalakrishnan quit PKR recently, citing loss of confidence in the leadership. — File pic
The renegade leader, who recently quit PKR, told The Malaysian Insider that PAS and DAP leaders needed to do some serious “soul searching” if they wanted the pact to last and should advise Anwar to stop protecting his party’s deputy president.
“They will not last otherwise. If they do not speak to Anwar... they will not last. No way,” said the independent Padang Serai MP.
Gobalakrishnan claimed that Anwar’s constant protection of Azmin was quickly weakening PKR and this would eventually cause the downfall of PR.
PKR has often been described as the weakest link in PR’s armour but with its partners PAS and DAP constantly at loggerheads over religious policies, the multiracial party has also been viewed as the glue that keeps the pact intact. But it has remained united despite several MPs jumping ship over the past one year.
“A weak PKR leads to a weak PR because Anwar is the chosen leader... he is supposed to toe the line, he is supposed to be impartial as he is supposedly PR’s prime minister-designate.
“But now, Anwar is obviously ready to sacrifice anything; the support of the Indian community, the Malays, the Sabah and Sarawak natives, just for the sake of promoting Azmin.
“So if he keeps doing this, PKR will fall apart and then so will Pakatan,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan quit the PKR, citing his growing disillusionment with Anwar and his right-hand man Azmin and claiming that the duo often sidelined party loyalists for personal interests.
“I do not know what kind of knowledge or information that Azmin has that makes Anwar want to protect him so much. You should ask Anwar about that.
“But it is making PKR irrelevant,” he said.
The Padang Serai MP added that the PR pact needed to decide on “what to do with Anwar” and question the de facto leader why he was giving so much prominence to his former private secretary.
He said that PR leaders should even consider telling Azmin to leave politics for good.
“Tell him to be a businessman instead, since now the entire Selangor economy is controlled by Azmin and his cronies.
“If PR leaders feel Anwar is still needed and is still relevant, then they should tell him to choose between Azmin and PR,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan claimed that Azmin (picture) was weakening PKR. — File pic
“Corruption does not necessarily mean direct corruption.... it also means cronyism and nepotism... when these things are introduced, then corruption comes,” he said.
Anwar is currently the Selangor economic adviser while Azmin is the state assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa.
Gobalakrishnan said that from his conversations with many local councillors in the state, he had discovered that many had grown rich in their positions.
“They are given contracts, opportunities and they have grown rich. One councillor proudly told me how proud he was to be a councillor because of the opportunities. He has five cars in his house and he bought them all with cash,” he said.
“This is why (DAP adviser) Lim Kit Siang, (PAS president Datuk Seri) Abdul Hadi Awang must do some serious soul searching.
“They should use their powers to advise Anwar about this... otherwise, PR will just fall,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan is one of Anwar and Azmin’s biggest critics and joined the ranks of other former PKR dissident leaders last Saturday when he quit the party.
He had also announced that he would continue fighting for the Indian community via a new non-governmental organisation.
When pushed to answer if he planned to team up with former PKR leader leader Datuk Zaid Ibrahim in the latter’s new political party Kita, Gobalakrishnan kept mum.
“We are politicians of the highest order. He does not need to invite me to join. If I want to, I will, if not, I won’t. But in the meantime, there is no harm exchanging views with them,” he said.
He had recently attended Kita’s grand launch here and described it as a “beautiful party launched by a beautiful man”.
“Like I said, I will continue my fight through a new NGO. I am still waiting for the blueprint and then I will do some networking and move on the ground to help people,” he said.
The vocal MP had kicked off his tirade against the Anwar-Azmin leadership during the party’s elections last year, which he complained had been fraught with irregularities.
He later took his fight to Twitter and for much of December last year dedicated his timeline space to criticisms against Anwar and Azmin.
Among others, Gobalakrishnan has accused both men of failing to protect the interests of the Indian community, and for ignoring the needs and requests of many party loyalists.
He has also continually taunted Anwar for “failing to walk the talk”, claiming that the veteran leader’s only ambition was to take over Putrajaya and ensure a cushy position for Azmin.
Gobalakrishnan joins several other leaders who have also left the party ranks, citing loss of confidence in the leadership.
They include Zaid, Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong, and Bagan Serai MP Mohsin Samsuri.
Another MP, Kulim-Bandar Baharu’s Zulkifli Noordin, as with Gobalakrishnan also from Kedah, was sacked from PKR after he faced the disciplinary board last year for crossing swords with the leadership over the “Allah” row.
PKR now has 24 seats in Parliament, a drop from 31 seats won in the 2008 general election.
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