PETALING JAYA: Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah does not believe that his move to vacate the Port Dickson parliamentary seat is tantamount to a betrayal of the people’s trust.
Danyal, who will be exiting the seat to enable PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election, said he would still continue to serve the people albeit in a non-MP capacity.
He said he had discussed the move with his parliamentary constituents and that there was no issue.
“I will continue to serve the people especially those in the rural areas.
“After Anwar takes over this seat, I will continue to show commitment in listening to the rakyat’s problems on behalf of Anwar in Port Dickson.
“I will not leave the people... It is very clear that the people are happy to know that Anwar will contest in the seat, ” he told press conference here on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the move to vacate the seat was a consensus by Pakatan Harapan (PH) to allow Anwar to become an MP and serve the people.
He said the move was not a betrayal to the people but is the right way via a by-election process.
“Anwar will return to become a member of parliament and if he wins, he may become the next prime minister, as agreed by PH,” he said.
PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli also opined that vacating the seat was not betraying the people’s trust as it is not going against the people’s wishes.
“At the party level, PH will fulfil its promises to the people,” he said.
Report by ANWAR PATHO, SYED UMAR SYED ARIFF, FAHMY AZRIL ROSLI and ESTHER LANDAU