It has been reported in The Star newspapers today that YB Karpal Singh, the DAP Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor, has said that “Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim can remain as Opposition Leader because he continues to command the confidence of opposition MPs, said DAP chairman Karpal Singh.”
The position of the Opposition Leader, which is held by YB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has not been questioned by any of the opposition MPs. Therefore, it should not be an issue for YB Karpal Singh to make such a statement unless YB Karpal Singh is trying to show that he had “repented” for casting aspersions upon the Opposition Leader on February 08, 2009.
Quite frankly, I find it extremely hard to reconcile YB Karpal Singh’s above statement, even if he had repented, with what he had said on February 08, 2009, which had been reported in one of the the national newspapers. The press report was as follow:
“GEORGE TOWN:
Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should step down for causing trouble in the coalition, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said.
“The Bukit Gelugor MP is blaming Anwar for “creating trouble,” and said that the former deputy prime minister “needed to repent without further betraying the people and their trust.” He said Pakatan Rakyat needed another leader, a good leader, and lashed out at PKR and DAP leaders who had fallen sway to Anwar’s rhetoric in supporting crossovers of elected representatives.
“I am not getting the support from my own party leaders, neither party adviser Lim Kit Siang nor secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, on the party-hopping issue.
“It seems that they are supporting Anwar instead of me. I am the party chairman, don’t push me too far as I still have the support of the rank and file,’’ he told a press conference at his office near here Sunday.
“Asked if he was thinking of calling for an emergency meeting on the future of the party in the coalition, Karpal Singh said he was thinking of doing so.
“I can’t fight the DAP cause alone. What I am saying is the truth, and eventually the truth prevails. I have said before that DAP should seriously consider getting out of the coalition and I repeat my stand once again today.
“Party-hopping can never be justified as it can be compared with one murdering the very parents who were responsible for one’s birth merely upon one reaching adulthood,’’ he added.
“He said he was confounded by how Anwar could have openly espoused and encouraged crossovers after the people gave a resounding mandate to the Pakatan Rakyat during the last elections.”
To show his sincerity, I call upon YB Karpal Singh to immediately declare that he has now repented and wish to withdraw his said condemnation of the Opposition Leader, YB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and unreservedly apologise for his outburst on February 08, 2009.
