The Malaysian Insight

EXITING Port Dickson MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah today hit out at the National Patriots Association (Patriot) which has criticised his decision to give up his seat to incoming PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

The former naval officer said Patriot president Brigadier-General (rtd) Mohamed Arshad Raji was wrong to say Danyal would no longer represent the veterans by giving up his seat.

“He has lost (touch with) reality. I deal with the veterans more than anybody else in this country. He has got it wrong,” Danyal said in a press conference today. 

He said the many army personnel in PD would benefit by having the PM-in-waiting as their representative.

Better yet, Danyal said, he would have the future PM’s ears and be able to better represent the army veterans as such.

“I’m not losing anything. I’m not a mercenary,” Danyal said. 

In a statement released earlier today, Arshad had said the veterans were against the move to have Danyal resign as the PD representative to make way for Anwar as Danyal was the “voice” of the veterans in Parliament.

“The PKR leadership must understand that the presence of armed forces veterans in parliament is being supported by thousands of veterans and they are seen to be their representatives, and a voice that they could rely upon on matters affecting veterans. 

“The people are feeling election-stressed after GE14 and three by-elections.

“If another by-election is really necessary, Patriot urges the PKR leadership (to let) the Port Dickson parliamentary seat remain with the incumbent, and that Anwar contests elsewhere.” –  September 12, 2018.