Sunday, September 7, 2008

Kit Siang: We don’t want money, power hungry defectors

Kit Siang: We don’t want money, power hungry defectors

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 7 — The DAP will not accept Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament crossing over to the opposition to form the next government on Sept 16 if they are driven to do so by money and power.

Its advisor Lim Kit Siang said the party would only welcome BN MPs into Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition pact, if they decided to cross over on the principle of wanting to bring about change to improve the lot of the people, and not for their political rice bowl.

"If they want to quit the ruling coalition and join us just for material gain, then it's unethical and unprincipled. We will not accept them.

"Whether a new government will be formed or not in nine days' time depends on many factors. We need to wait and see," he told reporters after officiating at the setting up of DAP branches in Sungai Tong, Setiu and in Kampung Cina, Kuala Terengganu with about 60 members.

The DAP had opened up branches in Terengganu in 1990 but they were dissolved in 2002 due to poor response from the local community.

Lim claimed that he did not know what kind of reward had been offered by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to 30 BN MPs, mainly from Sabah and Sarawak, said to be joining Pakatan Rakyat to form a new government on Sept 16.

He also urged the amendment to the Federal Constitution made in 1990 that prohibits an MP who resigns from the post from contesting in the general election in the next five years to be abolished.

He said this way it would enable those who resigned as MPs to stand by their principles and contest again in a by-election. — Bernama

No comments:

Post a Comment