Ironically, Ghafar only received four nominations in that contest and withdrew from the race in favour of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whom Zaid is supporting for the PKR presidency.
“I was warned that I will be buried like Ghafar Baba. I remember the incident in 1993 when Tun Ghafar was attacked by Umno, resulting in him getting [a] low [number of] nominations forcing him to withdraw from contesting,” said the Federal Territories PKR chief in a statement.
“Umno was not even willing to honour him with nominations. It was all because of the emergence of a new hero then, Anwar Ibrahim,” he added.
Ghafar was then the deputy prime minister. He lost the government post after the party election and was replaced by Anwar, who was seen as the favourite successor to then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The former law minister, however, said he was willing to put his career on the line for the sake of defending the party principles.
“If I end up like Pak Ghafar, I am alright with it. In [a] political struggle, the calculation is simple. I’ll support what is right and oppose what is wrong,” said Zaid, who resigned from the Cabinet in 2008 to protest the ISA arrests of Selangor executive councillor Teresa Kok, blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng.
Zaid, who joined PKR in June last year, said his announcement last week to contest in the upcoming party election has resulted in unprecedented attacks.
“I joined Keadilan because I want the party to work together with Pakatan in changing the political culture and political power in the country so that Malaysia will have a strong and fair government,” he said.
“In this struggle, my loyalty has not shifted even an inch. In fact my resolve is now stronger. That is why I’m offering myself, in case Keadilan members are interested in change in party and support the Anwar Ibrahim-Zaid Ibrahim team,” said Zaid.
He said that the party must first practise the principles that it has been fighting for it to be able to govern effectively.
He also claimed that his opponents have tried to pay a prominent blogger to start an attack against him.
“The blogger was asked to write that I am willing to pay RM20,000 to every division that nominates me and to say that I am working for Tun Daim Zainuddin to destroy Parti Keadilan Rakyat,” said Zaid.
“My loyalty was also questioned by some PKR MPs, but loyalty to whom, it was never explained. Maybe I am not loyal to the party struggle or to the top leadership. I don’t know,” he added.
Zaid said the MPs who are scheduled to call for a press conference this morning would perhaps explain why he must not be supported.
It is understood that a group of PKR MPs aligned to vice-president Azmin Ali, another favourite in the deputy presidency contest, will endorse the Gombak MP candidacy.
“I heard that President (Datuk Seri) Wan Azizah (Wan Ismail) would also be asked to step down,” said Zaid.
Just last week Zaid declared that he will contest a top party post in the upcoming PKR election, but only if Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim does not vie for the same post.
Apart from Zaid and Azmin, those seen to be in the running are vice-president Mustaffa Kamil Ayub and PKR religious understanding bureau chairman Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty.
The incumbent deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali is expected to vacate the post.
Some 400,000 members will vote between September 17 and November 21.
The party amended its constitution last year allowing all members to vote for divisional leaders and the 25 members of the central leadership council — including the president, deputy president and four vice-presidents.
The party’s 218 divisions will hold two separate meetings: One for the annual general meeting and election of divisional leaders, and a second meeting to vote for national leaders.
The divisions will vote for national leaders on weekends, from October 29 to November 21.