8 more want Zaid to quit
(NST) – Eight Parti Keadilan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) state chiefs have joined in the call for party president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim to resign following his surprise announcement that the party will be dissolved last Thursday.
Kedah chief Zamil Ibrahim, who led five state chiefs in calling for Zaid’s resignation on Friday, said the party’s Negri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu branches had also voiced their unhappiness with Zaid’s leadership.
“Most of the party’s leaders oppose his wish to dissolve Kita, so I don’t understand why he is still doing this.
“What is his motive? If he is unhappy with the party, he should leave. Why does he need to destroy it, too?” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Zamil said it was time to dispel the public’s perception that “Kita belongs to Zaid” and challenged the party president to leave to prove his influence.
Zamil said Zaid had misled members after reports stated that he had withdrawn plans to dissolve the party, which Zaid had since denied.
“(Central liaison director) Aziz Kadir tells us one thing, but Zaid tells the press another. This is not the time to play games. I think it is clear that he is no longer fit to be our leader.”
Johor chief and Sabah representative Dr Mohd Zaid Mohd Yusof, Penang chief Tan Tee Beng and Selangor chief Azmi Othman were among those who had spoken out against Zaid.
Dr Mohd Zaid, who was quoted by a Malay daily as saying he had received news from Aziz that the president had changed his mind, said confusing the public with contradictory messages was “irresponsible and dishonest”.
Tan said he would push for an emergency motion to oust Zaid at the party’s next extraordinary general meeting.
“He has done enough damage. The best thing for Kita is to reconsolidate the party by electing a new leader.”
Tan said he believed Zaid, a former law minister, made the announcement to dissolve the party to return to Parti Keadilan Rakyat, which he left two years ago to form Kita.
“I think Zaid wants to return to PKR because he believes it can win the general election and return him to the cabinet. He is free to do so.
“We are not so ambitious. We just want to give the people a different voice, other than that of Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional.”
