He was a PKR member for 10 days and now he is back with his old party - Bota state assemblyperson Nasarudin Hashim, who joined PKR on Jan 25, has returned to Umno's fold.

Suspicion that all was not well arose this afternoon when Nasarudin went missing.

Speaking to reporters at his office about 3pm, Perak Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar said Nasarudin's family had informed him that the politician was "abducted on his way to Ipoh from Kuala Lumpur".

The MB received the information while addressing a press conference.

He received a telephone call from Nasarudin's wife who told him that her husband had been taken to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's official residence in Putrajaya.

"She said that Nasarudin was told by the people who stopped him in his way back to Ipoh that the Perak regent wanted to see him," said Mohamad Nizar.

najib announce new bn perak state govt 040209 06 However, Nasarudin who was at Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's press conference in Putrajaya this afternoon, denied he was abducted.

At the press conference, Najib announced that Barisan Nasional has the numbers to form a new government in Perak and that Nasarudin has rejoined Umno.

Nasarudin gave three reasons for his return:

  • Political instability resulting in a weak state government;

  • To respect the wishes of voters in his Bota constituency; and

  • To accept advice and opinions of his political friends on the need for a stable government.

Nasarudin, 58, who was Parit MP from 2004-08, won the Bota state seat in the last general election by defeating PKR's Usaili Alias. He joined Umno in the 1970s and was a former Felcra Bhd chairperson.

When he defected to PKR, Nasarudin said his action had been prompted by the need to be a more effective assemblyperson, given that Pakatan Rakyat was the ruling coalition.

"I believe PKR and its partners in Pakatan Rakyat are able to be a better coalition of component parties for the people's benefit," he had said.

Audience with the sultan

In the wake of a number of defections, Mohamad Nizar said he would urge the Perak sultan to dissolve the state assembly so that a new election can be held.

"We view the disturbance by BN/Umno as an attempt to rob the people's right... therefore we can't wait," he said.

"Our 29 state assemblypersons are united and unanimous in wanting a snap poll to be held.

"We want to see a fresh mandate to obtain a bigger majority so that we don't face further disturbance from BN."

Mohamad Nizar arrived at the Kinta palace at 3.50pm and left at 5.35pm, saying the decision now rests with the sultan.

He emerged at 5.35pm to briefly tell journalists that he had informed the sultan of his request to dissolve the state assembly.

"It is now up to Tuanku (his highness)," he said. The meeting lasted almost two hours.

Nasarudin's press statement