Team Anwar defends sacking while Team Azmin cries foul over matter
Tuesday, 26 Nov 2019
image: https://apicms.thestar.com.my/uploads/images/2019/11/26/404844.jpg
Anwar (left) and Azmin Ali in an interview - Filepic
PETALING JAYA: The different reactions from senior PKR leaders over the sacking of two party members for alleged corrupt practices during the party election last year is yet another reflection of the cold war between Team Anwar and Team Azmin.
PKR leaders aligned to party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim defended the sacking decision, while those supporting party deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali are crying foul over the matter.
Zakaria Abdul Hamid, the Bera PKR division head, and Pahang PKR member Ismail Dulhadi, were sacked from the party, effective on Sunday.
PKR disciplinary board chairman Datuk Ahmad Kassim said their memberships were terminated on suspicion of corruption after the party received a letter dated Oct 23 from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
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The party’s advisory council chairman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Zakaria, the former member of central leadership committee (MPP), would have known the details of his sacking if he had attended the committee meeting on Sunday.
“As a member of the MPP, he should have attended the meeting and he would have found out all the details.
“That was what should have happened and he could have answered all the questions, ” Bernama quoted her as saying when asked to comment on Zakaria’s statement that he was shocked about being sacked from PKR.
Zakaria said in a statement that he was not informed of any disciplinary charges against him and he was not called to defend himself.
PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin, a strong ally of Azmin, condemned the sacking as “selective persecution” and called for an immediate leadership reformation to save the party.
Zuraida questioned if MACC had really advised the party to take action against its members even before the case was proven in court.
“If the allegation is true, then the party should also take action against members implicated in fights, gangsterism activities, as well as against those demanding bribes during party polls, and many other offences that had been publicly highlighted, ” she said.
The Star yesterday reported that the PKR cold war between Anwar and Azmin is heating up.
Team Azmin is said to be planning a boycott of the party’s national convention in Melaka on Dec 5 to 7.
At the Reformist Convention 2019 in Shah Alam on Sunday, Anwar said some leaders had started to divert from the party’s struggle and were even ashamed to call for reforms.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/11/26/team-anwar-defends-sacking-while-team-azmin-cries-foul-over-matter#zm1hJq2xzOei2CJA.99
