NAJIB: BN should not be carried away by Pakatan's weakness

Najib, who is Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said Zahrain's resignation was clear proof that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is a fragile coalition.

"This is expected, with the turmoil in the opposition coalition. It shows that the coalition is weak and it is difficult for them to defend themselves.

"A lot of questions will be asked whether they will remain a coalition and whether they are an alternative to the Barisan Nasional" he told reporters after chairing the National Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council this morning.

Najib said BN should not be carried away by the development in the opposition.

"We should not be carried away with what is going in the opposition parties. It is important that we show that the party is capable of serving the public and fulfil all the promises made, either by the government or the people representatives.

"We cannot control what happens in the opposition party but we can control ourselves. So, let us be a party that is seen as credible to the public," he said.

Zahrain's resignation this morning came slightly more than two weeks after he lambasted Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng by calling the latter "a dictator, a chauvinist and communist-minded".

Zahrain's resignation took place after talks that some PKR leaders would resign following frustrations with the party and its PR allies.

At a Press conference at Hotel Singgahsana here, Zahrain, a one-time ally of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said Guan Eng's methods of politics reeked of "communism and narrow- minded racialism".

I expected this, says Muhyiddin

SERI KEMBANGAN: Bayan Baru Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim’s resignation from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is just one of many to come, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin said this morning.

“This is expected. I maintain what I have said before; there will be a major exodus of Pakatan Rakyat leaders leaving the faction," he said at the launch of the Ar-Rahnu branch of the West Malaysia Teacher's Cooperative Union at Cheras Maju Business Centre in Balakong here.

“Zahrain has probably realised that his struggles for the rakyat via PR had gone to waste. He probably feels that his contribution are not appreciated by PR.

“There are many dissatisfied Pakatan Rakyat representatives who fear that the faction is not doing a good job of championing the rakyat.”

When asked if Umno would welcome Zahrain into the party, Muhyiddin said Umno’s doors were never closed.

“But we don’t know what his decision is. Maybe he wants to sit down and think carefully or probably stay as an independent for the time being. But the decision to join Umno is entirely up to him."

READ MORE: Zahrain quits