Renegade PKR leader N. Gobalakrishnan today quit all party posts, and said he would focus on a new organisation, after months of agitating party leaders.
The announcement by the Padang Serai MP was made this morning on micro-blogging site Twitter.
“Good morning to all Malaysians. I hereby resign from all PKR party posts. I will continue my work through a new NGO,” Gobalakrishnan said.
“I’m not just quitting party posts, I quit PKR itself, I am now an independent,” the former PKR vice-president told The Malaysian Insider over the phone.
The former MIC Youth leader in recent times has been critical of PKR and its top leaders, consistently attacking de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and deputy president Azmin Ali on Twitter and accused them of corruption.
PKR had earlier this month slapped him with a show-cause letter over his attacks against the party leadership.
When asked whether PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution as well as the party leadership had been informed about the matter, Gobalakrishnan laughed it off, saying that “they” had been waiting for his resignation and were prepared for this eventuality.
“I know for a fact that they are prepared for this..they have already appointed people to take over me in coordinating the Padang Serai division level, before I announced my resignation today.
“I cannot work with Anwar anymore..he only makes use of people to benefit his family and Azmin Ali,” he added.
Gobalakrishnan said that he would now focus on “local” issues via a new NGO.
“I’ve not come up with the blueprint yet, but the new NGO will focus on poverty eradication as well as (preservation) of places of worship,” said the Padang Serai MP.
He said that he did not send any resignation letter to Saifuddin, claiming that there was no need to do so.
“PKR leaders are all internet savvy what..read my twitter account, it’s crystal clear,” said Gobalakrishnan.
Saifuddin said last week that a hearing had been fixed for Gobalakrishnan as he had failed to make the January 17 deadline on the show-cause letter issued last December 31.
Gobalakrishnan had declared that he would not respond to the letter, despite the likelihood that he would be reprimanded for his actions.
The outspoken MP kicked off his tirade against the Anwar-Azmin duo during the party’s elections last year, which he complained had been fraught with irregularities.
He later took his fight to Twitter and for much of December last year, dedicated his timeline space to sharp criticisms against the duo.
Among others, Gobalakrishnan has accused both men of failing to protect the interests of the Indian community and for ignoring the needs and requests of many party loyalists.
Gobalakrishnan has also continually taunted Anwar for “failing to walk the talk”, claiming that the veteran leader’s only dream was to stake his claim over Putrajaya and ensure a cushy position for Azmin.
Gobalakrishnan joins several other leaders have also left the party ranks citing loss of confidence in the leadership. These include newly-minted Kita president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong and Bagan Serai MP Mohsin Samsuri.
Another MP, Kulim-Bandar Baharu’s Zulkifli Noordin, also from Kedah like Gobalakrishnan, was sacked from PKR after he faced the disciplinary board last year for crossing swords with the leadership in the controversial “Allah” row.
PKR now has 24 seats in Parliament, a drop from 31 seats won in Election 2008.
