PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim today admitted that he should have taken action sooner to sack recalcitrant Pelabuhan Klang state assemblyperson Badrul Hisham Abdullah who has since defected from the party.

He said that it was wrong of him to have taken a tolerant approach against the under-performing elected representative.

"People have been telling me to be patient with these (under-performed) elected representatives. However, seven months ago, the menteri besar (Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) said he could not stand Pelabuhan Klang (Badrul)'s attitude anymore.

NONE "Khalid told me that he could not deal with him, so I called Badrul ( left ) to see me at my home. Within five minutes of meeting him, I could tell that he had a problem," Anwar told about 1,500 delegates at the Selangor PKR convention in Shah Alam.

Anwar said that he had wanted to give Badrul the benefit of the doubt and let him stay on as an assemblyperson.

"At that time, we told ourselves that he (Badrul) would change for the better (despite) his poor records of not attending functions and failing to turn up to state assembly sittings.

"But now, we know we should have been stricter. If that elected representative has a poor track record, we give them a two-week show-cause letter and (if they don't respond), we sack them right away!" said Anwar to the cheer from the crowd.

People will determine our fate

Anwar also reminded the delegates that it was vital for the party to have elected representatives with good track record as their future to re-contest in the next general election will be determined by the people.

"Let me tell all parliamentarians and assemblypersons... if they have good record of performance, Alhamdulillah . If it's not good enough, then don't ever wish to re-contest in the next general election," he said.

anwar at selangor pkr 15112009 "Be it a big position, or the position of an exco... no one will determine these positions except by the people. That is why I need to issue this stern warning to all of our leaders," he said.

He said that the Badrul episode was a lesson for him and the party to find better qualified candidates who can serve the people.

Badrul resigned from PKR late last month to become a Barisan Nasional-friendly independent. His departure however will not jeopardise Pakatan's control in the state.

He said he was quitting the party following dissatisfaction over the PKR-led state government stemming his flow of state allocations and circumstances surrounding Anwar's sodomy trial.