PKR’s Arumugam quits Kedah exco seat and also as state assemblyman

According to The Star:

PKR’s Arumugam quits Kedah exco seat (updated)
By EMBUN MAJID

ALOR SETAR: Kedah executive council member V.Arumugam has relinquished his exco post as well as Bukit Selambau state assemblyman, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak announced Monday.

Arumugan was initially an independent who joined PKR after winning the Bukit Selambau state seat in the general election last March.

He was said to have informed PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of his decision at a discreet meeting in Ipoh on Sunday.

PKR state training bureau chairman Zambri Yusuf said Arumugam has made known his intention to Anwar at the meeting.

“Arumugam has decided to quit his position as an exco due to the mounting pressure on him and his family to defect to Barisan Nasional.”

Speculation has been rife for weeks that Arumugam intended relinquish his post due to the mounting pressure to stay in Pakatan Rakyat or defect to Barisan as an assemblyman.

(Blogger's observation: Of course, there will be a by-election. But will there be any cross-over to the BN? With Arumugam, Pakatan has secured 22 seats, BN 14 seats. Now without Arumugam, Pakatan has got 21 seats, BN 14, you need 4 state assembymen to cross over to allow BN to secure the majority. If Pakatan were to win the by-election in the Bukit Selambau seat, then there might not be any cross-over because any cross-over will be seen as against the wishes of the people.)