There is no doubt in the minds of Pakatan Rakyat leaders that Barisan Nasional - in particular, Umno - is behind the circulation of nude photos of PKR’s Elizabeth Wong.

At a press conference in PKR headquarters in Tropicana today, they were of the unanimous view that this was a plot to bring her down through “gutter politics”.

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elizabeth wong press conference on her offer of resignation from selangor exco post 170209 06 PKR vice-president and Subang MP R Sivarasa said: “We know that what has happened is clearly politically motivated.

“All this happening on the first day of Parliament yesterday was too much of a coincidence. We call on the people to reject gutter politics being practised by BN.”

This morning, Wong offered to resign from both her posts as state assembly representative for Bukit Lanjan and as Selangor executive councillor.

PAS Muslimat leader Nuridah Mohd Salleh was of the view that BN is still unable to accept its defeat in the general election last March, and has chosen underhanded means to topple the state governments chosen by the people.

“We hope the Pakatan leadership is ready to face further challenges as they (BN/Umno) may have something more up their sleeve,” she cautioned.

‘No reason to quit’

PKR supreme council member Irene Fernandez argued that Wong should not have offered to resign because it is her rights that have been violated.

elizabeth wong press conference on her offer of resignation from selangor exco post 170209 03 “This should not be the basis of resignation because it involves the violation of human rights...this is gutter politics against women. We cannot accept it at all,” said Fernandez, who heads migrant rights group Tenaganita.

PKR Women’s head Zuraida Kamaruddin described Wong’s decision as “heroic”.

“Elizabeth has been heroic in making this decision against underhanded politics by the BN/Umno regime who would use any tactic possible (to bring us down),” said the Ampang MP.

If Wong goes through with her decision to quit, “the party will lose one YB and a strong woman”, she said with disappointment.

“She has built a good track record for the past 11 months as an exco and a state representative,” Zuraida said.

Fellow state excos Xavier Jayakumar and Teresa Kok insisted that Wong should reconsider her decision because it would be “a big loss to the state government”.