KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — Eight PKR members have been suspended pending investigations into a variety of offences offences committed over the course of the party's elections recently, disciplinary board chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong said.
Tan said in a statement that the decision was made yesterday during the party's political bureau meeting, which was chaired by PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and attended by party de-facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and other senior leaders.
The offences range from threats and cheating to disrupting the polls process and publicly criticising the party or other candidates during the election period.
One of the more prominent casualties is former Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam who allegedly made a media statement accusing Khalid - a deputy presidential candidate - of engaging in money politics in the Kuala Selangor divisional poll.
His statement was deemed to have gone against party election regulations that prohibit members from making any disagreement related to the party polls known to the media or public.
Khalid’s political secretary Mustapha Mohd Talib, who is listed as a Kuala Selangor branch member, was also suspended for allegedly threatening to end Manikavasagam’s tenure as coordinator for the Bukit Melawati state constituency.
He is said to have issued the threat during a phone conversation with Makivasagam’s special assistant.
Another member, K. Gunasekaran from the Hulu Selangor division, was suspended for his alleged involvement in a fracas at the division’s election where a group of disgruntled members forced their way into the counting centre and stopped the vote counting process on May 11.
Tanjung Karang division chief hopeful Noor Azman Samsuri was suspended for allegedly falsifying the signature of his purported proposer for his candidacy as division chief.
The four others - V. Bobinath (Kuala Selangor), Monniza@Sarimah Abdul Ghani (Kampar), Md Yusop Kamaruddin (Pasir Salak) and Ahmad Jufliz Faiza (Setiawangsa) - were suspended for making critical statements regarding the party election process.
All eight have been issued show-cause letters and will be suspended until the board completes its probe into their cases.
PKR has described its recent party polls as a “success” despite allegations that are forcing it to hold fresh voting at 27 branches and delay announcing the results indefinitely.
The party was originally to announce the polls outcome on Tuesday, but has since postponed it following weekly allegations of delays and voter manipulation since polling first started on April 26 last month.
The 27 branches that will have to undergo fresh polls are Hulu Langat, Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar, Subang, Klang, Selayang, Kota Raja, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Kapar, Setiu, Kuala Nerus, Kemaman, Dungun, Paya Besar, Nibong Tebal, Jerantut, Batang Sadong, Kapit, Pengerang, Tenggara,Tenom, Keningau, Bukit Katil, Tawau, Papar and Sg Petani.
PKR has a total of 198 branches nationwide.
