Perak MB's post was meant for PKR rep, confirms Zahrain

The Perak menteri besar post was never intended to be given to Pas when Pakatan Rakyat was in power.

This was because the party held the least number of seats in the state government, said Bayan Baru member of parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim to the New Straits Times in Parliament yesterday.

He said the menteri besar's position was supposed to be given to a Parti Keadilan Rakyat elected representative, but party supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim could not find the right man to fill it.

This forced the opposition leader to try to induce Barisan Nasional assemblymen to cross over to PKR after the coalition's big win as he was looking for the right candidate to become the menteri besar, he added.

Confirming the revelation by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Kadir on Tuesday that he (Zambry) was offered the post after Pakatan formed the state government in March 2008, Zahrain said he was aware of the plans in Perak then.

"The offer (for BN assemblymen to defect) was made because Anwar wanted the right person from PKR to become the menteri besar.

"He (Anwar) did not want (Behrang assemblyman) Jamaluddin Mohd Razi to hold the post as he had said 'how could a former postman become a menteri besar?'" Zahrain said.

Jamaluddin was a former postman who became a businessman, and was with PKR until February last year when he quit, citing loss of faith in the party's struggle.

Zahrain said the DAP was also fighting for the menteri besar's post as it had more seats than Pas and PKR, but had to let go of its ambition because the state constitution does not allow a non-Malay to hold the post.

He said Anwar had made promises to several BN elected representatives in Perak whom he felt "were qualified" for the post and that one of them would be appointed as the menteri besar if they joined PKR.

"Anwar also offered the post to (Pengkalan Hulu assemblyman) Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali," Zahrain said.

During the Perak assembly sitting last Tuesday, Tajol had revealed that three Umno assemblymen in Perak were persuaded to cross over and offered the menteri besar's post.

Zahrain said he was not surprised by the recent revelations because "as Anwar's old friend", he knew the latter's political game well.

"Anwar doesn't care about his friends, the party, the rakyat or his family. He rejects ethical principles and forgets integrity all because of one agenda, which is to seize power. This is why I am willing to fight him," he said.

Independent members of parliament Zulkifli Noordin and Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri, who quit PKR recently, said they did not know about the offers to BN assemblymen.

But they also confirmed that the menteri besar's post then was supposed to be filled by a representative from PKR.

nst