Huan and 1,000 Gerakan members to join PKR, says Zahrain
by Himanshu Bhatt
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Huan Cheng Guan
| GEORGE TOWN (June 3, 2009): Embattled Gerakan vice-president Huan Cheng Guan may soon jump over to PKR with some 1,000 party members following his recent public spat with the party leadership.
Penang PKR chief Datuk Zahrain Hashim said Huan had spoken to him about the matter and was now "waiting for the right time" to join the Pakatan Rakyat coalition party.
"He has contacted me, and we have been in touch," said Zahrain after the swearing-in of the new Deputy Chief Minister (I) Mansor Othman in Seri Mutiara, the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negri here today.
"He is interested (to join PKR), but wants to settle a few things in Gerakan first," he added.
Zahrain also stressed that Huan was "more than welcome" to join PKR, and would need to embrace closely the party's ideology.
"He has to follow our struggle if he joins. I am confident he would be able to contribute to our cause."
Huan and Zahrain are old acquaintances in the Barisan Nasional (BN) during their days together in the 90s.
Huan had then served as the political secretary to then Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad while Zahrain was head of Tanjung Umno.
Huan, the Batu Kawan MP from 2004 to 2008, has also previously held the Youth Chief posts for both Penang Gerakan and Penang BN.
Huan is currently the secretary of the Backbenchers Club in Parliament while Zahrain is Bayan Baru MP.
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Zahrain Mohamed Hashim
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Zahrain said the prospective new members from Gerakan would be a welcome boost to enhance PKR's struggles in the state.
When contacted, Huan confirmed that he was "thinking of leaving" Gerakan with more than 1,000 members to join PKR.
"The bulk of the members are from Permatang Pauh and Kepala Batas who are fed up with the state (party) leadership and are ready to move," he added.
He was, however, unwilling to confirm his crossover yet, although he admitted having been invited by PKR.
"(PKR adviser) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also asked me to join," he said.
Huan said he enjoyed strong grassroots support because he had rose through the ranks in Gerakan, citing his recent appointment as Pandan (Selangor) Gerakan adviser on Tuesday.
"I have been travelling around the Klang Valley the past few days to meet up with Gerakan grassroots members, many of whom have expressed solidarity with me," he added.
On the show-cause letter, he said he would look into it upon returning to Penang tomorrow.
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