A youth group today said that the change in government in Perak was a lesson for Pakatan Rakyat whose leader Anwar Ibrahim had started the ball rolling by stating that he could topple the federal government with defections.

The Malaysian Indian Youth Development Foundation (MIYDF) said that it was pointless for Pakatan leaders to now condemn the manner Barisan Nasional took over the state government in Perak with the aid of defectors.

sa vigneswaran "Let us not forget the cliché every action has a reaction. Mind you, it was not BN who opened the floodgates for defections," said MIYDF chairperson SA Vigneswaran in a statement today.

"Who hailed that he had signed up more than 31 defectors needed to form a new government and called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi not to impose emergency rule to thwart a takeover on Sept 16, 2008?

"Who pumped our adrenalin by claiming the Pakatan Rakyat was able to form a new government by Sept 16 with the help of defecting BN MPs?" asked the former MIC Youth chief.

He added that Anwar had sowed the seeds of defection and crossovers immediately after the general election last March.

Vigneswaran also asked as to why there were no questions from community leaders and bloggers when Anwar started setting deadlines, one after another, to topple the federal government.

He also said that the same people had kept quiet when Bota state assemblyperson crossed over to PKR from Umno on Jan 25.

"No one said then that defections were immoral, undemocratic, appalling and oppressive...but the very moment four Pakatan state representatives crossed over to BN, the nastiest remarks and accusations are casts at the government," he said.

Control your members

Vigneswaran also said that these critics were diverting the problems away from Pakatan by questioning the Sultan of Perak's decision in allowing for the BN to take control in the state.

"Pakatan must take responsibility for actions of its members, especially that of their elected representatives who had defected," he said.

He added that the sultan had only acted in accordance to the state constitution in asking Pakatan's Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin to step down in favour of BN's Zambry Abd Kadir.

"Instead of accepting the sultan's decision, all hell broke loose for Pakatan Rakyat. Demonstrations and accusations are hurled at the sultan now," he said.

He also reminded PKR leaders of their declaration at their annual meeting last December to restore the rulers' immunity.

"They also endorsed that the sovereignty of the rulers must be preserved.

"Where are they now when their own party members are insolent towards the sultan?

"It is not the public who are unhappy with the sultan's decision but the members of disgruntled Pakatan alliance," he charged.

The raw lesson to be learnt from Perak is that those who live by the sword will die by the sword, he said.