KULIM, April 15- More than 200 Indian members of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP have left the party to join MIC after realising the opposition were big on making empty promises. More than 150 PKR members and more than 50 DAP members in Paya Besar have submitted their MIC membership applications in a ceremony at the Paya Besar District Polling Centre, Lunas, near here yesterday evening.
They were led by K.Bala, 54, who joined PKR 10 years ago, in handing over their forms to Kedah MIC liaison chairman S. Ananthan. Also present were Lunas incumbent assemblyman Mohamad Razhi Saleh, who was previously a PKR assemblyman and state exco member who then became an independent, and former Padang Serai PKR leader Hamid Othman as well as Padang
Serai MIC committee members and from other branches in Paya Besar. Bala said they had not gained anything when they were members of the opposition party except for empty promises.
“The Indian community have been neglected, but luckily there is the Lunas state assembly Service Coordination Centre in Taman Cekur Manis which has helped the Indians a lot.
“The Indians not only received the BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) but also Tekun facilities which assist small traders and entrepreneurs in Lunas,” he said.
Earlier, Mohamad Razhi said in his speech that there were several factors why he quit PKR to become independent in 2010, which included feeling cheated by PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Money is not everything and I left the Kedah state exco because the opposition’s political developments clashed with my principles in life,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ananthan said more opposition party members in Indian areas in Lunas, such as Paya Besar, are now more inclined to join Barisan Nasional (BN). He added that BN’s chances of winning back two state seats lost to the opposition in 2008, Lunas and Bukit Selambau, were looking brighter.
BERNAMA
