Zulkifli a product of PKR, not Umno

'Brazen, defiant, audacious - Anwar Ibrahim taught him all these so that this MP can take on the BN. But Anwar forgot to tell to Zulkifli to spare Pakatan his vitriolic criticisms.'

PKR slaps gag order on Zul Noordin

Tired: Someone commented that Zulkifli Noordin might be a Barisan Nasional agent. If he is, then he is not a smart one, and BN is a dumb master for allowing its agent to behave that way. Agents don't go around committing kamikaze attacks and attracting attention to themselves.

This Zulkifli is the product of PKR, no doubt of that: brazen, defiant, audacious. Anwar Ibrahim taught him all these so that this MP can take on BN. But Anwar forgot to tell Zulkifli to spare Pakatan Rakyat his vitriolic criticisms.

BTN: PKR, face the facts. How could the party wage a protracted war when you have a soldier who does not follow instructions or abide by party principles. Sack him before he ends up destroying the party. What is the big deal with losing one soldier?

Ksn: It appears as though PKR is dragging its feet on this matter for reasons known only to the party. Zulkifli has been given enough rope. Anything short of dismissing him conveys the wrong message to the people who support PKR. His actions are nothing short of eccentric and are very damaging to PKR's image.

Joos: I'm interested in knowing how Zulkifli would defend himself. PKR, let's have him explain himself to the political bureau, record it and post it on YouTube. I'm sure the rakyat is dying to know the rationales behind his thoughts and acts.

Disgusted: It all looks like a mere slap in the wrist - Umno-style - and after a delay of one month. Do it (sack him) now and be done with it. People are waiting with bated breath to see what action will be taken against this recalcitrant MP.

Are they willing to sacrifice one delinquent MP to save the party and Pakatan unity? Or will they delay things and hope people will forget? Challenging your fellow MPs to resign and making police reports are serious matters.

Minority view prevails in PKR over Zulkifli

comment PKR has weaseled out of taking drastic action against its recalcitrant MP Zulkifli Nordin and opted instead to impose a gag order and refer him to the party's disciplinary committee.

The majority of its 23-member political bureau, at its meeting yesterday, was in favour of sacking Zulkifli but two senior members plumbed for the less punitive course of ordering his silence and requiring him to face the disciplinary committee.

The minority view prevailed at the end of a three-hour meeting.

The problem with the minority view was that PKR's disciplinary committee had already in 2008 recommended his sacking after Zulkifli had deeply embarrassed the party by his bellicosity towards a Bar Council meeting that was called to discuss the issue of religious conversions.

In retrospect, the politburo's failure to endorse that decision to sack Zulkifli had only encouraged him to successively higher levels of defiance of party discipline and policy coherence.

Now the politburo's ducking out of taking the bull of Zulkifli's defiance by the horns and throttling it suggests that when it comes to disciplining its rebels, the party's rival, Umno, has fared rather better.

PKR's bark worse than its bite

The fate last year of Ahmad Ismail, Umno's Bukit Bendera division chief, is a case in point. He behaved deplorably and spoke inflammatorily at a press conference in September last year after PKR's Anwar Ibrahim had regained his parliamentary bastion of Permatang Pauh.

Umno had no hesitation in suspending Ahmad Ismail.

In terms of excesses, Zulkifli's public pronouncements and actions have been far worse a violation of PKR norms than Ahmad Ismail's deportment was of Umno's.

But PKR has been limp-wristed in bringing Zulkifli to heel whereas Umno had been firmer in disciplining Ahmad Ismail.

PKR's decision to opt for the velvet glove rather than the bludgeon towards its flagrantly rebellious of representatives suggests that its bark is worse than its bite, its actions less principled than its rhetoric.

Zaid slams PKR over Zul’s case

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — Pakatan Rakyat ideologue Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today slammed PKR for treating Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin with kid gloves, saying the party could become a “poor man’s version of Umno” that was incapable of defending its principles and bringing reform.

The political maverick also accused certain quarters in PKR of fearing to take action against Zulkifli as they felt the lawyer was popular among the Malays for his Islamic issues.

“Many feel that PKR is not serious in taking action. In fact, there those who predict it won’t take strict action within the time given,” Zaid wrote in a post headlined “Little Napoleon” in his weblog this morning.

PKR’s political bureau yesterday slapped a gag order against Zulkifli who went against the party line to lodge a police report against Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad over the “Allah” issue.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said the bureau had also referred Zulkifli to a disciplinary panel for further action within 30 days.

It is understood that the political bureau meeting was fiery with many asking for action against the former Anwar lawyer who has crossed the party line a few times since being elected in Election 2008.

But a few felt action against the former PAS member would jeopardise the party’s standing among the majority Malay Muslim electorate.

Analysts said the episode exposes the soft underbelly of Anwar’s party — the desire to portray itself as multiracial but living with the constant fear of losing its pull with the Malay voters.

Zaid lamented that Zulkifli has ignored the gag order and has continued to insult the pact’s stand in rival Umno-controlled media.

“It’s strange that Zulkifli Noordin is an ‘untouchable’ in the party; one wonders why there is something special here.

“That is why he can criticise anyone as a ‘Little Napoleon’ or those who are powerless, people like me ,” he added.

The former Umno minister said the episode has convinced him that PKR cannot defend core principles in its struggles.

“Only the easy and expedient. PKR today is not that different from Umno, only its mold or just ‘a poor man’s version of’ Umno,” Zaid wrote.