ZAID IBRAHIM dissolves KITA

Saying 'I have failed', KITA calls it a day

Harakahdaily,

02 February 2012

Feb 2: Just over a year after forming the KITA party, former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Zaid Ibrahim, who left Parti Keadilan Rakyat after a war of words with its leaders, has announced that the tiny party would be dissolved.

"An Extraordinary General Meeting will be held soon to dissolve KITA. This is necessary to remove any and all doubts that we indeed do support the Opposition, especially in light of some of our members in Kedah and Penang being openly critical of the Pakatan Rakyat," he said in a statement.

KITA was transformed from Kelantan-based party Malaysian People’s Justice Front, or AKIM, which Zaid joined after his resignation from PKR.

'I have failed'

Zaid admitted that he had failed to set up a political party which adapts decorum in political discourse.

"I have not succeeded in bringing in enough members who are interested in democratic ideals, good governance and accountability amongst  public officials.

"I have also not been able to raise sufficient funds to manage the party’s activities, and friends who had promised to help have since decided otherwise," said the lawyer-turned-politician  who founded the country's largest law firm Zaid & Co before he had to quit his senior position to fulfill his appointment in 2008 as a cabinet minister in charge of the judiciary.

Quoting a Malay proverb which means "if you get lost along the way, go back to the beginning", Zaid said the decision to form KITA was a mistake, made worse by the lack of talents to bring about diversity in local politics.

"I have made many mistakes in my life but I am not disheartened. I remain convinced that change will come for the betterment of this country and I will do my part, again and again, to help achieve that," said Zaid, who resigned as cabinet member in protest after the government arrested blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, DAP member of parliament Teresa Kok and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng under the Internal Security Act.
Earlier this month, Zaid criticised Raja Petra over the latter's criticism of Pakatan Rakyat and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

"What I fail to understand is, why did Petra choose to attack Anwar from all angles, and at the same time he wanted to see a stronger opposition?”, Zaid said.

Meanwhile, to KITA members, Zaid has this parting message:

"I seek your forgiveness. I appreciate your support and I hope you will accept this decision, for it is for the greater good of the Opposition. The survival of democracy depends on the viability of the Opposition. If it is destroyed – as the Barisan Nasional is bent on doing – then there can be no democarcy, no freedom and no moderate policies ever again."