PENANG PKR leader Dr Afif Bahardin said there was pressure from his party leadership for him to quit his state exco post.

He said that following pressure from certain individuals, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had advised him to resign, which he agreed to do.

“I heard there were calls from the state (PKR) and national leadership for action to be taken against me, including to be sacked from the exco.

“That was why I met the chief minister and after listening to his advice, I accepted it. It is what I have to pay for my struggle,” he said in a press conference this afternoon.

Afif was the Penang Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Rural Development and Health committee chairman.

Afif said some people in PKR were unhappy that he had supported sacked PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

“Some were not happy to see me with Azmin. I am ready to face any action because it was my decision to side with Azmin in PKR.

“There is no problem. I take it as it is and I know God has better plans for me. What’s important is, the people are safe,” he said.

Afif said he would remain loyal to PKR and stay in the party until a decision is made by the party’s disciplinary board.

“My position is still with the leadership. The board is reviewing (the case),” he said.

On whether he would join the 10 MPs who had left PKR with Azmin to join Perikatan Nasional, Afif said he would only decide after the disciplinary board ruled.

“We will see how it goes. If I am not sacked or if I am sacked. Maybe I’ll go back to being a doctor or I could remain a politician,” he said.

This afternoon, Chow announced that Afif has resigned from his exco post after the two met earlier in the morning.

Afif has been the Seberang Jaya assemblyman since 2013. He was appointed a Penang exco the same year.

In PKR party elections in 2018, Afif lost the youth chief post to Akmal Nasir.

On February 20, the PKR disciplinary board issued a show cause letter to Afif for alleged involvement in sabotage at the PKR Youth congress in Malacca last year.

Last Sunday, a day after Perikatan Nasional took over Putrajaya, Afif was among Azmin’s supporters who were abused and attacked by pro-Anwar party members.

He and Tian Chua and Amirudin Shari are among those who have been branded traitors for supporting Azmin. – March 4, 2020.