Athi Veeranggan Jan 24, 09 4:05pm
Embattled Penang deputy chief minister Mohamad Fairus Khairuddin is probably heaving a huge sigh of relief after learning that evidence revealing the identities of the people behind a spate of ‘anti-Fairus’ blogs was submitted to top PKR leaders early this week.
MCPX
The evidence was collected by certain party grassroot leaders in Penang on their own initiative while surfing the cyber world.
The evidence, it is learnt, was mostly an accumulation of email transactions, conversations and anti-Fairus postings by ground level perpetrators, who are part of a conspiracy to allegedly topple Mohamad Fairus.
The evidence has also revealed the identities of grassroots conspirators from within the party.
Malaysiakini learnt that the evidence was handed over to PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, national disciplinary committee head Dr Syed Husin Ali, state PKR chief Zahrain Mohamad Hashim, Mohamad Fairus and PKR state secretary Mustafa Kamal Mohd Yusoff.
Anwar, who is believed to be deeply disturbed by the anti-Fairus conspiracy, and Syed Husin are now scrutinising the evidence to identify and plan disciplinary action against the culprits.
There are at least five anti-Fairus blogs in the cyber world, believed to be closely linked to a top state leader who aims to replace Mohamad Fairus in the Pakatan Rakyat Penang government.
Besides Penanti assemblyperson Fairus, Abdul Malik Abul Kassim (Batu Maung) and Law Choo Kiang (Bukit Tambun) are other two PKR executive councillors in Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s state administration.
It is learnt that a handful of grassroot leaders have formed a clique to oust Mohamad Fairus since he was appointed Lim’s number two after Pakatan stormed into power in Penang following a landslide victory in the March general election.
The blogs have attacked Fairus constantly with various allegations of under-performance.
He has also been accused of not being people-orientated, not connecting with the grassroots and not carrying out field work, accusations which Mohamad Fairus has vehemently denied.
Recently, an anti-Fairus blog even threatened to publish an upside-down picture of Anwar on its web page to pressure on the PKR supremo to sack Mohamad Fairus from the state government.
The blog even published an upside-down picture of the newly appointed Penang PKR youth chief and Balik Pulau Member of Parliament Yusmadi Yusof, because of his close ties with Mohamad Fairus.
Yusmadi had earlier declared that he would mobilise his youth movement to strengthen Mohamad Fairus’ position in the party and government.
Yusmadi’s intentions obviously did not go down well with Fairus’ detractors.
Reshuffle to strengthen PKR
"This is a work of people jealous of my political success at such a young age," said the 33-year-old Mohamad Fairus, who was dropped as the party state deputy chief during a reshuffle on Thursday.
The reshuffle also saw Law being dropped as deputy chairperson.
Mohd Fairus has been replaced by Dr Mansor Othman while Law's position fell to Machang Bubuk state assemblyperson Tan Hock Leong.
However, the anti-Fairus blogs were quick to capitalise on the reshuffle, saying it was a clear indication that Mohamad Fairus was on his way out of the state administration as well.
Mohamad Fairus and Law were removed and appointed ordinary committee members as part of a strategy to strengthen the party’s state political administration and operations.
Zahrain explained that the reshuffle was to separate party leadership with that of the state government to avoid conflict of interests and allow leaders to focus on their respective tasks.
Realising the internal plot to oust Mohamad Fairus, Anwar has frequently warned state leaders and members not to indulge in smear campaigns to tarnish Mohamad Fairus’ image since it would also damage the party.
He has also threatened stern action on anyone found to be involved in the anti-Fairus campaign.
With fresh evidence now in his hands, Anwar is set to wield his axe to chop off these negative elements, said a party source.
