Selangor MB crisis: Khalid hits back with legal notice

(The Star) – Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has hit back at two PKR office bearers with a legal notice over his sacking from the party.

In the notice, which was sent to party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and disciplinary board chairman Datuk Tan Kee Kwong on Sunday, Khalid through his lawyer New Sin Yew, said the panel had failed to specify with sufficient clarity the charges against him.

New, in the letter also pointed out that details regarding the composition of the disciplinary board was not provided to Khalid, and that the panel had not replied to Khalid’s request for a postponement of the proceedings which took place last Saturday.

He added that Khalid had not received a reply from the disciplinary board to a letter seeking a postponement of the hearing and to ask for the precise nature of the charge against him.

“Our client wishes to convey his surprise at the undue haste with which the disciplinary board and central leadership council have acted. Your actions confirm that PKR does not practise the principles of natural justice and that the decision to sack our client was for a collateral purpose,” said New.

He also said that the disciplinary board called on Khalid to answer five new issues that were not in the show-cause letter and proceeded to recommend that the PKR central leadership council sack Khalid without hearing from him.

“Our client reminds you that upholding the rule of law and independence of the judiciary, or equivalent judicial-making tribunals are among the purpose and objective of the party. The disciplinary board and central leadership council have failed on both scores,” said New.

He added that the party’s central leadership council had taken into account matters not contained in the show-cause letter such as the Selangor water restructuring exercise, increase in the Mentri Besar’s allowance, the increase in business licence taxes and the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).

New also pointed out that members of the central leadership council had endorsed the distribution of a “defamatory dossier” of Khalid to compel his ouster and had allowed “members with a vested interest” such as Wan Azizah to sack Khalid.

“The disciplinary process against our client smacks of impunity, abuse, pre-judgment and bias. It is imperative to note that the total time taken from the date of the show-cause letter on Aug 5 to the sacking of our client is less than five days,” said New.