Anwar calls Zaid an asset, says Pakatan would welcome him

The Malaysian Insider - KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 – Just a day after former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim was sacked from Umno, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed today that the two leaders have had discussions on his political future since Zaid resigned from Cabinet.

“There were a series of private meetings since he resigned as minister,” the de facto PKR leader told reporters in Parliament today.

Zaid had resigned from the Cabinet on Sep 15. Since then he has been courted by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties, and PKR in particular.

After he attended last weekend’s PKR national congress, Umno vice president and deputy presidential candidate Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that Zaid must explain himself.

Anwar however, said that while PR “welcomed him to be more involved” and “take up the challenge and dive into the arena,” they did not want to push him but instead wanted to give him “space to reflect after being unceremoniously sacked.”

According to the Permatang Pauh MP, Zaid has met with leaders from PKR, Pas and DAP on several occasions and the opposition is comfortable with his stance on human rights and draconian laws, a plural society and constitutional issues.

Calling him an “asset to the nation,” he rebuked Umno for its “intolerant attitude towards a difference of opinion” in sacking Zaid simply for attending the PKR congress.

The lawyer had been appointed a minister by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi in March to push forward judicial reforms but he had been isolated by other Umno leaders and the Cabinet.

They rejected the first draft of the Judicial Appointments Commission and Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar ticked him off for suggesting in Parliament that the government was reviewing the Internal Security Act.

By Shannon Teoh