Perak PR tells possible defectors to seek for dissolution, not jump

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Perak Pakatan Rakyat leaders today asserted that they were against defections as a method to recapture the state government, stressing instead that disgruntled Barisan Nasional assemblymen should seek for state dissolution.
Former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin confirmed talk that several Umno assemblymen had approached him with their grievances but claimed that the Perak PR would not repeat the coup launched by its foes in the BN last year.

“We in the Perak PR welcome those who are unhappy with Umno-BN or with (Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr) Zambry’s (Abd Kadir) leadership.

“We urge them to go ahead if they are unhappy, and inform their leadership of their unhappiness and then urge or request Zambry to table a no-confidence motion in the state assembly,” Nizar (picture) said.

The Perak PR’s stand, however, appears to go against that of its national partners. After Election 2008, PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself had revealed his infamous Sept 16 plan where he claimed that the fledgling coalition would take over the Putrajaya administrative capital through a spate of defections by Umno MPs.

Nizar, the Bukit Gantang MP, would not, however, identify the names of the purported Umno assemblymen, explaining that this was a part of a strategy.

The Perak PKR had recently released a statement claiming that three Umno assemblymen would soon defect, citing reasons that they were unhappy with Zambry’s leadership.

Zambry has since denied the claim.