KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — PKR central committee members protesting the decision to expel a party leader can readily reverse this at their next meeting, disciplinary chief Datuk Ahmad Kassim said in a dig at their chronic absence.
Responding to a public statement from PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and 19 other central committee members criticising Zakaria Abdul Hamid’s sacking, Ahmad pointed out that the decision was made by the central committee in which they were all members.
The PKR disciplinary board chairman also stressed that the decision to expel former Bera division chief was not from his panel or party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
While saying he welcomed their memorandum of protest, he reminded the central committee members that they were entitled to amend or review Zakaria’s sacking in a meeting of their own committee.
“I implore all those who signed the memorandum to attend and defend their views at the coming central committee meeting,” he said in a statement.
PKR publicly sacked Zakaria and another party member last Sunday for alleged bribery and corruption.
Zakaria had been a central committee member and the political secretary to Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian, who is seen as aligned with Azmin’s faction.
After those aligned with Azmin criticised the decision, members of Anwar’s faction used their repeated absence to neutralise the complaints.
Anwar and Azmin are estranged. The simmering rivalry between the two has worsened progressively heading into the party’s national congress next week.
