PKR says no to all-Muslim panel for Zul Noordin

ARCHIVES 2010

By admin-s On Mar 4, 2010

(Malaysian Insider) KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — PKR’s disciplinary board will not bend to the will of Kulim-Bandar Bharu MP Zulkifli Noordin’s demand for an all-Muslim panel and is expected to deliberate on his hearing despite today’s walkout, party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said today.

Saifuddin told The Malaysian Insider this evening that there was nothing wrong or disrespectful with the decision to maintain the present panel members instead of replacing them with only Muslim members.

Zulkifli had made the request for an all-Muslim panel in view of the fact that he was to answer to disciplinary charges involving his actions in the “Allah” row.

“He has to understand. He is not being tried for his stand on the word “Allah”. He is being tried for his act of lodging a police report against a fellow Pakatan Rakyat MP despite the party’s gag order on the matter,” Saifuddin said.

He added that the decision to reject Zulkifli’s request which was made by the party’s disciplinary committee would remain the same.

“We are trying him on his action of defying a party order, not about his stand. It is very different. That is why there is no need for there to be an all-Muslim panel,” said Saifuddin.

He added that Zulkifli was welcome to his beliefs on the “Allah” matter, whether or not it was in conflict with the party’s view. “But when you disregard a party order and lodge a report against a fellow MP, disciplinary action will have to be taken,” he said.