Unacceptable for PKR assemblymen to be absent for Melaka senator motion, says Anwar
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Asked if action will be taken, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said he will meet the two assemblymen on Tuesday.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - It is unacceptable that two PKR assemblymen were absent in the state assembly for the motion to vote in Melaka PKR chairman Halim Bachik as a senator, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday (Nov 26).
Asked if action will be taken, the PKR president said he will meet the two assemblymen - Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin (Machap Jaya) and Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis (Rembia) - on Tuesday.
"I'm in touch with them. I'm supposed to meet them today or communicate with them. That (the absence) is of course not acceptable, because they have to respect the decision of the state and our position is they must support the Chief Minister's decision," he said.
The incident comes amid worsening ties between the factions of Mr Anwar and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.
According to reports, Ms Lim and Mr Muhammad are known to be linked with Mr Azmin, while Datuk Halim is linked with Mr Anwar.
"Infighting or not, the decision of the state and the party must be respected, " said Mr Anwar to reporters when met at the Parliament lobby.
During the Melaka state assembly meeting on Monday, a motion proposing the appointment of Mr Halim was rejected after 13 Barisan assemblymen opposed the motion while 12 from Pakatan Harapan supported it.
Aside from the absence of Ms Lim and Mr Muhammad, DAP's Gadek assemblymen G. Saminathan was also not present and excused from attending the proceedings due to his detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Melaka Speaker Wira Omar Jaafar described the rejection of the motion as a "sad and shameful" episode, as it sets a bad precedent when assemblymen from the ruling party do not show up to support a motion tabled by the Chief Minister.
