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By Hazlin Hassan, The Straits Times A FORMER blue-eyed boy of de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is set to rejoin Umno soon, in a move that has caused dismay in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
Former PKR Youth chief Ezam Mohd Noor, 40, has received the green light from top Umno leaders, PKR and Umno sources say. When asked by The Star daily whether he is rejoining Umno, his reply indicated that he is mulling over such a move. 'Cannot confirm. No final decision yet,' he said in a text message reported by the newspaper yesterday. The former political secretary of Datuk Seri Anwar would be a prize catch for a weakened Umno and will boost the political standing of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. Mr Ezam left PKR last year to form an anti-corruption NGO after a public falling out with another top confidant of Mr Anwar. There is widespread speculation in political circles about Mr Ezam's future role, including the possibility of an appointment as a senator or even a Cabinet post. One role he might be given is to win back Selangor, Malaysia's most industrialised state, from the Pakatan Rakyat government in the next election, online newspaper Malaysiakini reported on Wednesday. The crossover reports are a blow to PKR, whose de facto leader is Mr Anwar. The opposition party has in recent weeks been bragging about luring away Umno's MPs. PKR president Wan Azizah Ismail, the wife of Mr Anwar said of the imminent move by Mr Ezam: 'I find it strange - for all that he has done, even going to prison - it is difficult to comprehend.' One PKR youth leader said on Thursday that he had spent all day answering calls and text messages from shocked party members. An official from Umno headquarters said the party had been wooing Mr Ezam for some time and expects him to join 'very soon'. Said political analyst Shamsul Amri Baharuddin of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia: 'It will be a blow to PKR, the PM can use this as leverage, but to what extent? What has Ezam got for the party?' He added: 'The fluidity of Malaysian politics is proven once again. It's not readable at all, there is no pattern.'
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