Cover image via The Malaysian Insider
Saifuddin Abdullah, former UMNO supreme council member changed allegiance by joining opposition party PKR yesterday, 15 October
Saifuddin was the BN's Temerloh MP from 2008 till 2013. In the 13th general election in 2013, he lost his Temerloh seat to PAS candidate Nasrudin Hassan.
Citing dissatisfaction over **Barisan's handling of the 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6 billion issue** that PM Najib Razak has been plagued with, Saifuddin left the ruling party.
PKR president Wan Azizah, Saifuddin Abdullah and other party members during the news conference announcing Saifuddin's move to PKR
Image via The Malaysian Insider
While changing allegiance for politicians is hardly uncommon, Saifuddin's switch to PKR has garnered some emotionally charged comments from dissatisfied Barisan leaders:
We don't want all this rubbish in UMNO, says UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor
"Hopefully these viruses in the party that are becoming thorns will continue to be accepted by PKR of the Harapan Baru gang," was UMNO Youth executive committee member Armand Azha Abu Hanifah response to Saifuddin's switch
"I will never join a party led by a convicted sexual offender," said Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang, slamming Pakatan's de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim over his sodomy charges
This remark was made less than hour after UMNO's Saifuddin Abdullah officially announced that he has joined PKR
Image via Tan Keng Liang/Twitter
"When will Tan Keng Liang join PKR?" was what a Twitter asked Tan after Saifuddin Abdullah's sudden move to PKR
Image via Twitter
Following Saifuddin's sudden move to PKR, a Twitter used was quick to ask Tan about his plans on joining PKR which sparked this remark from the youth chief.
Saifuddin is an insincere UMNO member, says deputy home minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed
Meanwhile, UMNO's MyKMU.net blog is grateful that Saifuddin left the party, dubbing the move as a "blessing in disguise"
One the contrary to these Barisan leaders, one BN politician wished Saifuddin well on his decision to join PKR:
Abdul Rahman Dahlan is BN's strategic communication director.
While BN politicians are up in arms about Saifuddin's party hop, Saifuddin has been receiving a warm welcome from Pakatan leaders:
PKR president Wan Azizah thinks Saifuddin will be an "asset" to the opposition party
My prayers have been answered, adds PKR Youth deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin
Rumours about Saifuddin's move to the opposition party have been circulating for the past month, after he attended a Pakatan gathering on 24 August
The move was criticised by many UMNO leaders that urged the party officials to take legal actions against Saifuddin for attending an opposition organised event.
