PADANG BESAR – After nearly two years away from the political scene, former Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin has made a comeback, this time under the banner of PKR.
The former Umno Padang Besar division chief, who previously served as a member of the party’s Supreme Council, appeared at the Madani Welfare Contribution Programme and the launch of a new PKR branch at his office in Taman Beseri, Beseri, today, local media reported.
Although currently holding no formal position in PKR, Zahidi shared his ambitious plan to establish 400 new branches in Perlis, adding to the existing 60, to rally support and boost the party’s chances in upcoming state elections.
Zahidi disclosed that his move to PKR has the approval of its President and Pakatan Harapan (PH) Chairman, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He expressed his intent to help PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) wrest control of Perlis from Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Now serving as the Padang Besar Madani Coordinator, Zahidi said he has no issues rekindling ties with UMNO despite being expelled from the party for contesting as an independent in the Padang Besar parliamentary and Titi Tinggi state seats during the 15th General Election (GE15).
In GE15, Zahidi was dropped as BN’s candidate for Padang Besar. His independent bid resulted in defeats for both seats and his subsequent expulsion from Umno.
“Today, we are bringing together former Umno branch chiefs, community leaders, and NGO representatives to drive the formation of new PKR branches, especially in Padang Besar.
“We aim to establish 400 more PKR branches throughout Perlis before the next general election, with over 100 of them in Padang Besar. This demonstrates our commitment to bringing the state under the Unity Government of PH and BN in the next polls.
“Currently, PKR has around 60 branches in the state, and we are working to match Umno’s presence here,” he said during the event, which was also attended by Datuk Romli Ishak, Senior Political Secretary to the PKR President’s Office.
The former Padang Besar MP, who served from 2013 to 2022, said his plans to expand PKR’s presence in Perlis have been endorsed by Anwar and other central leaders, including Vice-President Nurul Izzah Anwar.
“I do not hold any official position in PKR, and everything I am doing is voluntary. However, the party has entrusted me with working alongside other PKR members in Perlis to establish more branches across the state.
“We need to match UMNO’s organisational strength. If PKR only has 40 branches while Umno has 300, how can seat negotiations for elections be balanced?
“For instance, in discussions with Umno Perlis, we hope to propose a fair division of parliamentary and state assembly seats across Kangar, Arau, and Padang Besar.
“If possible, we aim for an equal split, with three representatives each from PH and Umno for every parliamentary constituency and the 15 state assembly seats. This kind of collaboration will strengthen PH and UMNO, allowing us to reclaim Perlis in the next general election,” he said. – December 8, 2024
