BUTTERWORTH: Penang PKR Youth chief Asrol Sani Abd Razak has quit the party, alongside 100 members from Bagan, Permatang Pauh, Bukit Mertajam, Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor today.
He said he made the decision because party leaders in the state have become "blind followers" to other component parties in the opposition pact, to the extent of rejecting views from grassroot members.
“I am angered with state PKR chairman Datuk Mansor Othman who has become a ‘yes-man’ for the party, especially DAP.
“We, at the grassroots, especially the Youth, are frustrated with such leaders who have deviated from the party’s original struggle brought by our founder, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” he said.
He said members who left the party today would not express their support to any other parties following the announcement.
“I just want party members' attention to the internal issues happening within PKR.
“Members are being treated like stepchildren, and they (the leaders) are too afraid of others in the opposition pact.
“PKR is supposed to be a strong party in Penang. We are the joint government and not mere followers.” he told a press conference at Teluk Air Tawar here today.
One example, he said was how the party handed over Bertam state seat to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
He claimed that more frustrated PKR members will resign from the party soon.
Asrol was the party’s Youth wing leader since 2013 replacing Dr Afif Bahardin, who is now Seberang Jaya state seat candidate.
When contacted by the NSTP, Mansor said it was up to Asrol and other youth members to leave the party.
He said their move would not affect the party in the run-up to Polling Day on May 9.
Mansor said whatever decisions made by him came from the “higher-up”.
“I do not decide things by myself. All are being done by the party leadership,” he said, refuting the allegations made against him.