PETALING JAYA, Nov 25 — Zakaria Abdul Hamid, who was yesterday expelled from PKR for alleged corruption claims, has claimed he was not given the chance to explain himself.
The former Bera PKR division chief said he only found out about the sacking through media reports, adding that he was shocked as no disciplinary action had been taken against him prior.
“Not to mention, the action taken against me, if true, did not go through the process of asking me to defend myself as is conventionally done by any political party,” he said in a statement carried by The Star.
Zakaria, who was also a member of the PKR central leadership committee, added he will provide an update on further action after getting an official response from the party headquarters.
Yesterday PKR fired Zakaria and another ordinary member from the party on grounds of corruption and bribery.
The party’s disciplinary board chairman Datuk Ahmad Kassim said the decision on Zakaria and Ismail Dul Hadi is with immediate effect after the party received a letter from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission dated October 23 on the allegations which are said to have happened during last year’s party elections.
Zakaria was formerly the political secretary to Works Minister Baru Bian. His superior had welcomed efforts to investigate Zakaria in September last year after a police report was lodged against the latter.
The report was filed by PKR Youth coordinator Ahmad Syukri Che Ab Razab on September 25, 2018, which alleged Zakaria abused his position as a civil servant by promising to give contracts worth RM20,000 and allocations amounting to at least RM300,000, which was made during a meeting with local leaders on September 1 in Pahang.