The resignation of Bayan Baru parliamentarian Zahrain Mohd Hashim is a blessing as it is an opportunity to get rid of  people who do not fit in Pakatan Rakyat said Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy.

Zahrain, ( right penang pkr chief zahrain hassim ) who was also the state's Pakatan Rakyat chief executive, had quit from PKR due to mounting disappointment and disagreements with the administration of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He had also described the opposition's coalition as a failure and Lim's governance  “chauvinistic, arrogant and communistic”.

PKR MPs Tan Tee Beng (Nibong Tebal, Penang), Zulkifli Noordin (Kulim Bandar Baru, Kedah) and Wee Choo Keong (Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur) were among those who had sung similar tunes.

However, Ramasamy said that Zahrain’s resignation does not at all affect the governance of the state.

“What he had said about Lim and the state has caused irreparable damage... his allegations had no basis,” said Ramasamy.

“I only wish that they (the dissident MPs) had aired their grievances in Pakatan's meetings instead of going public with it.

kampung buah pala penang p ramasamy meeting 120609 04 Ramasamy ( left ) said if Zahrain had chosen to stay on he would  have had to face disciplinary action.

'The party will be stronger'

Indeed PKR vice-president Syed Husin Ali said that Zahrain’s exit was out of fear of disciplinary action.

“Other opportunists can sell themselves and join him. The party will be stronger,” he said.

guan eng pc information freedom act 161208 abdul malik The state's domestic trade and consumer affairs committee chairperson Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim ( right ) added that the resignation did not come as a surprise.

“It's an effort by BN and Umno to destabilise the state leadership and to get more seats in Parliament,” he said.

Abdul Malik noted that Zahrain was a “dissatisfied” leader whose concerns are not shared by the rest of PKR’s members,  and the relationship between DAP and PKR is at its “strongest”.

“I have known him since the 1970s and as a friend I regret his exit. But in the party we need people who are committed to the party's struggle and not easily swayed,” he said.

Exit 'expected'

Many of Zahrain's friends in PKR however believe that he would not have deserted the party if he was still heading the state branch.

They claim that Zahrain inherited a state branch in dire straits from then-founding chairperson Mansor.

These leaders allege that Zahrain was key to PKR's unprecedented win of four federal and nine state seats in the 2008 general election.

Zahrain's position as Bayan Baru division chief would now be temporarily helmed by deputy chairperson Tan Seng Keat.

The division vice-chairperson M Nyanasegaran, a close friend of Zahrain, is saddened by the MP's departure.

Nonetheless, he said the division would continue to strive over the challenges and prepare to face the next general election.

"It's not the end of the world ... life goes on," he said.