PAS central committee member Nasrudin Hassan also sought to reinforce the link to Anwar’s controversial sacking as deputy prime minister by suggesting the new movement be called Gerak 2.0, after the 1998 effort.
“I think, if Khalid is now ousted by Anwar from the mentri besar seat through many allegations, it is appropriate for PAS led by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to rise and defend Khalid who is persecuted and humiliated,” the Temerloh MP said on his Facebook page.
In 1998, then PAS president Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor started the Gerak movement to spur the public towards defending Anwar, after he was sacked as DPM and finance minister as well as being expelled from Umno.
The former PAS Youth leader today said Anwar’s move to remove Khalid’s situation mirrored the PKR de facto leader’s own tribulations in 1998 when he claimed he had been removed on fabricated charges.
“What was his scandal and misconduct that forces Khalid to be sacked from PKR, then dropped from being Selangor mentri besar? Should this be seen as a PKR internal matter, and should the public rise up to defend Khalid?” asked Nasruddin.
In his defence of Khalid, Nasruddin also claimed that Khalid had been a victim of double standards over the proposed Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) that is among the claimed reasons for his removal.
The PAS leader said the issued mirrored that of the Penang Tunnel, for which Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has escaped criticism.
“I find it weird why Khalid is criticised badly for a project which is not under his powers. But at the same time, this does not happen to the Penang administration under Lim,” said Nasruddin in an opinion piece titled “What is the difference between Kidex and Penang Tunnel” published in Malay news portal Sinar Harian Online.
Nasruddin also accused Penang of awarding the RM4.63 billion project to Construction Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd through direct negotiation, which he suggested was unnecessary.
He pointed out to the heavy criticism against the tunnel, including worsening traffic flow and the option of building a light rail transit (LRT) system in the island.
Nasruddin added that the undertaking was made despite Penang’s budget shorftall of RM255.44 million in 2014, the sixth year of deficit for the state.
“What was Lim thinking until he dares to spend big on an unnecessary thing in a critical financial situation? Where is the voice of Pakatan leaders in berating Lim’s attitude?” asked the former PAS Youth chief.
“Were we not against direct negotiations once upon a time?”
The Penang government touts Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) as its guiding principles.
Khalid’s PKR colleagues are seeking to oust the second-term mentri besar from office but the beleaguered politician has found support in PAS through its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, and its religious scholars, the ulama.
A Pakatan Rakyat presidential meeting will be held this Sunday where top leaders from PAS, PKR and DAP will decide whether or not to keep Khalid or replace him mid-term.
Khalid has refused his party’s directive to step down and allow PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to take over, prompting PKR to serve him a show-cause letter that demanded an answer by Friday.
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