Rebellious PKR rep says “Anwar is not god”

A defiant Matunggong assemblyman Datuk Jelani Hamdan appears to be burning his bridges with the leadership of PKR, strengthening expectations of his imminent departure from the party.

In his Facebook postings over the past several days, Jelani accused PKR leaders of ''practicing laws of the jungle'' over their intention to issue him a show cause letter following his public grouses about them.
In the Feb 5 posting titled "Over reacted and prejudged" he said PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was "not God" and he should be prepared to face criticisms.

"Anwar has called me garang (fierce). When I voice my opinions, I am also branded a traitor. Since when are we banned from criticising Anwar. He is not God,'' he added.

And on Sabah PKR chief Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin, who ditched Umno for PKR before the May 5 general election, Jelani said sarcastically: ''Mr Perfect and Clean. Cannot be criticised. My foot," closing the sentence with a smiley emoticon.

He said his main grouses with the PKR leadership were the appointment of Lajim as the Sabah assembly opposition leader and as Sabah PKR chief.

He also said there was a "lack" of Kadazandusun Murut and Rungus representation in the party's state liaison committee.

Jelani said he had brought up these issues to the PKR leadership before but "a decision is different from the implementation."

On PKR vice president Tian Chua's statement that the party would be issuing a show cause letter to him for his criticisms against the party leadership, he said: "What the hell are they doing? They are practicing jungle law or are they jungle people!!!"

In a reply to a Facebook friend on his posting, Jelani said it appeared that the PKR leadership was trying to get him to resign from the party or face a sacking by issuing him the show cause letter.
''They are trying to give a me choice. Madu di tangan kanan mu, racun di tangan kiri mu (honey is your right hand and poison in your left hand)," he said.

Anticipation of Jelani quitting the party had been growing since his Kadamaian counterpart Jeremy Malajad's departure from PKR on Monday.

Jeremy along with PKR state assemblyman Jelani Hamdan of Matunggong had been widely expected to quit the party after their absence from  a meeting with party chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here last weekend.
When contacted, Jelani told The Star: ‘’I have not reached that point as yet. However I am not ruling out the possibility of leaving the party.”

He said  he did not attend the Sabah PKR liaison meeting with Anwar on Saturday as he and Jeremy saw no point in attending it.

‘’We cannot work with Lajim anymore,” he said.

He said Anwar and Lajim had ignored their repeated calls for better representation of the Kadazandusun-Rungus communities in the state PKR liaison line-up.

Sabah’s elected opposition ranks in the State Assembly began cracking on September 27 after DAP’s Hiew King Cheu of Luyang quit the party and declared himself an independent.