KUCHING: Kuala Langat MP Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar’s departure from the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and declares his support towards the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government shows that the man had lost his trust in the party’s leadership.
Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said certain quarters from the party may be twisting facts with regard to the matter but he believed Dr Xavier has a good reason for quitting.
“Of course, many of those in PKR are now saying that there are a lot of money being paid-lah, they lompat-lah (frog-leaping), being threatened-lah, but Dr Xavier is not an ordinary man who can be bought.
“He has his principles and he has been with the party for many years. Therefore, for him to quit like that, I believe he has made a lot of calculations beforehand, one of many included the party’s unfulfilled struggle,” he said in a press conference after launching the Cricket High-Performance Centre in Petra Jaya Sports Complex here on Monday (Mar 15).
Abdul Karim also described Dr Xavier, the former PKR vice president, as one of the party’s highly respected leader and influential in the party’s struggle.
“From what Dr Xavier has mentioned, he acknowledged that we are currently facing Covid-19 and what Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has been doing has been very good in addressing that problem first.
“Therefore, for him (Dr Xavier) to announce his exit from the party to be independent and declares his support towards the prime minister, I personally see it as a good move,” he said.
Abdul Karim also hoped more politicians would follow suit in looking at things the way Dr Xavier does.
“The politicians and the public in general have to be more focused as we have bigger battles to fight, especially on tackling the Covid-19 pandemic and addressing the economy.
“After that, we can continue with politics,” he said.
