A Man Called Zaid

If there's a word to describe Zaid Ibrahim -- lawyer, former Umno member, former Cabinet Minister, now former Parti Keadilan Rakyat member --it must surely be "enigma". Because Zaid is something of an enigma.

He is something of an enigma because his actions are -- at least they seem to be -- baffling.

I know they are baffling to a lot of people. He's been called a trouble-maker, Umno's trojan horse, Umno's mole, arrogant, conceited, flip-flop, selfish, opportunistic, power-crazy, ungrateful, tak malu, tak sedar diri....The list, I suspect, is growing.

The media has been describing him as "maverick", for want of a more apt description.

Zaid, I reckon, will deny all of the above -- except perhaps, arrogant (somewhat) and maverick.

I am not privy to the nature of the relationship between Zaid and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim - if there was a relationship to speak of, in the first place.

But Zaid leaving PKR the way he did tells a lot about the depth of his disappointment and disillusionment in PKR. I don't think there is any (hidden) agenda on Zaid's part. I think he is simply sick of the party and deeply disappointed in Anwar and disgusted with (the antics) of PKR vice-president Azmin Ali.

All must have become so clear to him when he joined in the contest for the deputy presidency in the party's elections.

So, he must have thought, this is PKR. Same old story.

Zaid is a lousy politician. If he was good, he'd be apple-polishing the right leaders and stabbing the back of the right people. Trying to be popular. Playing to the gallery sort of thing.

Let's face it. This guy does not hold back, speaks his mind and he doesn't care if you hate him for it.

Anwar loyalists hate him. As for PKR loyalists, I think some have mixed feelings. I'm sure Zaid has his supporters in PKR. How many, I don't know. Enough to split the party? I don't think so.

Now he has (finally) quit the party, and his resignation takes effect Dec 16. Why Dec 16? His cheeky response -- because Anwar likes Sept 16 (the date in 2008 that Anwar had set to get some 30 government backbenchers to defect in order to topple the BN government)

As for Anwar. I'm sure he's relieved he's got Zaid, the trouble maker, out of his hair. If Zaid who said last week that Anwar and Azmin should leave the party because they were the source of the party's problems (amboi!) -- had chosen to remain (as he had, after all, indicated that he was in the party for the long haul), he'd be sacked, sooner or later.

If I were the party leadership, of course, I'd have him sacked. This guy could cause some serious damage to PKR. Can't have the likes of him disrupting the party.

So, now, this guy intends to contest in the next general election-- either independently or on the ticket of a party he hopes to form.

I'm sure those following the political goings-on can't wait to see what happens next -- what this man called Zaid who is something of an enigma, has up his sleeve.