KUALA LUMPUR: Fresh off yesterday's wound, another Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) federal lawmaker has declared support for the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's administration.
Less than 24 hours after Gua Musang MP Mohd Azizi Abu Naim declared his support for the Madani government, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik has now also done the same, saying that it was for the constituents' well-being.
"After carefully considering the current issues faced by the people regarding the cost of living, the pressing need for essential improvements, and the ongoing development in the Parliamentary Constituency P.030 Jeli, I, as the Member of Parliament for Jeli, hereby declare my support for the leadership of the Datuk Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, effective from the date of this statement.
"I am aware that the needs of the people must be prioritised, and development must continue without compromise. In this challenging era, as a Member of Parliament, I must provide the best service to the people in the Jeli constituency," he said in a statement today.
Mohd Azizi, in a nearly templated response professing allegiance to Anwar, declared that he would continue to be a member of Bersatu and was willing to face the repercussions of his actions.
"Therefore, I also declare my support for any policies and initiatives that the government undertakes to restore the country's economy and safeguard the welfare and interests of the people. My support will continue until the next General Election (GE16)," he said.
Zahari also said the decision to back Anwar was made without any coercion, influence or pressure from any party and reiterated that he had willingly pledged his allegiance to the government for the sake of his constituents.
Yesterday, Mohd Azizi joined fellow Bersatu MPs Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) and Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar).
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Mohd Azizi said his move to support Anwar had to be done for the sake and betterment of the people in his constituency.
Azizi's declaration of support for Anwar comes just after Bersatu announced that it had suspended Suhaili's membership in the party for six years for backing Anwar.
Two days earlier, Bersatu had also suspended Iskandar Dzulkarnain's membership, for four years.