Penang PKR chairman warns against “secret meetings”

By Manjit Kaur, The Star

State PKR chairman Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said show-cause letters would be sent to members found organising secret meetings.

He said that as far as he was concerned, he had not heard of any such meeting organised by those unhappy with his leadership.

"I am not aware about it as I am hearing this from members of the media. If the media knows about the meetings and who organised them, then they should give me the names.

"And if indeed the news is true, then I will not hesitate to send show-cause letters to those involved," he told reporters after receiving the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negri award, which carried the title Datuk Seri, at the investiture ceremony in conjunction with Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas’ 71st birthday celebrations at Dewan Sri Pinang here today.

It was reported in a Chinese newspaper that 10 of the 13 PKR divisions had attended a secret meeting.

It was also reported that nine divisions had agreed that the new chairman should take charge in Penang.

Zahrain said if there was indeed such a meeting, that those organising it had bad intentions.

"My relationship with all the division heads is fine, and I don’t have any problems with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as well," he said.

Later, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the DAP did not recommend any of its party members to be conferred state awards.

However, he said other political parties in Pakatan Rakyat were free to give their recommendations.