KUALA LUMPUR: Tanjong Karang member of parliament (MP) Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi has become the sixth Parti Pribumi Bersatu (Bersatu) MP to pledge his support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In a statement, Zulkafperi said his decision was to ensure the continued advocacy for the welfare and development of his constituents including the improvement of infrastructure and local needs.
"Recognising the need for political stability and smooth economic recovery of the country, as well as acknowledging the hardships faced by the people due to the pressures of the current cost of living, I, as the member of Parliament for Tanjong Karang, hereby declare my support for the leadership of the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, starting from the date this press release is issued.
"To avoid any doubts, I want to affirm that I remain a loyal member of Bersatu and will not betray the party.
"However, to ensure the sustainability of the constituency in alignment with the federal government, it is appropriate for me to align with the leadership in Putrajaya led by Anwar," he said.
Zulkafperi also said that the declaration in support of Anwar was without any coercion or pressure from any quarters, saying that it was done for the benefit of the people of Tanjong Karang.
He also expressed support for the policies and initiatives of the Madani government that prioritise the well-being, development, economy, and interests of the people until the next general election.
On Jan 6, it was reported that eight Bersatu members were waiting for Parliament to reconvene to declare their support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Bukit Gantang member of Parliament Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said they were taking the 'wait and see' approach and were waiting for the right time.
In December, he had claimed that several more MPs from Perikatan Nasional (PN) would express their support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim soon.
The Bersatu MP claimed that about seven or eight MPs in several states would throw their support behind the prime minister.
He, however, refused to reveal the identity of the MPs involved and whether they were from Pas or Bersatu.
Besides Syed Abu Hussin, four more MPs from Bersatu have declared their support for Anwar's leadership, namely Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Laban).
