Kuala Langat MP Xavier Jayakumar leaves PKR

PETALING JAYA: Kuala Langat MP Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar says that he is leaving PKR with immediate effect, resigning as both a member and as a party vice-president.

"I will continue to serve my constituency and support the government as an independent Member of Parliament and I am confident that I will fulfill my election promises to the people of Kuala Langat," he said in a press release on Saturday (March 13).

The former Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister said that he was leaving the party he joined in 1998 as he is "extremely frustrated" by the events of the past year.

"While there are parties discussing the possibility of elections, this is not necessary or viable at this point in time. Our current priority should be to support the government in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, to create jobs and secure funds to rebuild the economy," said Dr Xavier.

He added that it would take 18 months for the Covid-19 vaccination programme to be completed and more than two years for the economy to recover.

"This needs bipartisan support to make sure the efforts of the government are fulfilled. The people want stability and to restart our ailing economic sectors. Towards this, we need to work together and not against one another," said Dr Xavier.

Dr Xavier was recently dragged into controversy when a close friend - Perak PKR deputy chief M.A Tingaran - was hauled in by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for questioning.

The MACC had seized RM1.2mil from a house as well as the home of a suspected proxy and a luxury car, which had been purportedly used by Dr Xavier when he was part of the Pakatan Harapan Cabinet from 2018 to 2020.

With Dr Xavier’s departure from PKR, party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has lost one more trusted lieutenant from the party.

Dr Xavier was one of the party’s pioneer members who ventured into politics in 1998 after Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister by the then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad.