The 'Z' trio: Zip or get zapped

Sunday, 31 January 2010 20:52

KUALA LUMPUR – The ‘Z’ trio in the PKR has to either learn to zip their mouth or get zapped by the party leadership.

Recent events involving the three – Zahrain Hashim, Zulkifli Noordin and Zaid Ibrahim – had greatly embarrased the party and leaves de facto PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim with no choice but to haul them up for possible disciplinary action.

The three men would have to appear before the disciplinary committee and face the music, the Opposition Leader told a press conference after the party’s central committee meeting here Sunday.

Zahrain, the Bayan Baru MP, had allegedly insulted Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng by calling him a dictator, chauvinist Chinese and Communist.

Not right to attack CM

In defence of their secretary-general, the Penang DAP claimed Lim had informed the party that Zahrain was “politically frustrated” as his recommendation for a RM2 company to be awarded a contract had been rejected by the state government.

Responding to the tiff between the MP and the CM, Anwar said:

“It is not that we don’t like to be criticized.

“It is okay to criticise, but it is not right to attack Guan Eng calling him dictator, chauvinist, and communist as he always consulted others.

“Sometimes, he (Lim) reviews his own decision. But at the end of the day, he is the chief minister.”

“Some of us have called for immediate action, but here in PKR and Pakatan, we have to adhere to the party constitution and allow due process to take place,” added Anwar.

As for Zulkifli, the controversial Kulim-Bandar Baru MP, had crossed swords with Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad, from PAS, who supported a court decision allowing non-Muslims to refer to God as ‘Allah’ in their publications.

Zulkifli lodged a police report against Khalid and imediately caused a ‘diplomatic’ crisis in the Pakatan Rakyat alliance.

All together or separetely?

Defying a gag order imposed by the party, Zulkifli went on to lambast the DAP, calling it a chauvinistic party.

Pushing his luck further, Zulkifli urged PKR and PAS to dump the DAP and work, instead, with Umno.

Reacting swiftly to the matter, Zaid called on the PKR leadership to sack Zulkifli.

It is unclear if the disciplinary board would meet all the ‘Z’ trio together or separetely, considering that the weight of their respective offences differ.

For instance, Zaid is being hauled up for merely scolding the PKR leadership for not taking faster and harsher action against Zulkifli. As his ‘offence’ is the lightest, he is expected to be given nothing more than a warning letter.

Zahrain, the former Penang PKR chief, may face suspension if he continues to keep challenging the Pakatan administration in Penang and create negative publicity for the coalition

In Zulkifli’s case it is possible he may face the sack for his seemingly pro-Umno stance.

'I don;t care if he wants to burn bridges'

Meanwhile, Lim said it does not matter to him if Zahrain wants to sever ties withthe Penang government.

He said, however, he was interested to see who would support Zahrain.

“If he wants to burn bridges with the Penang government, that is his choice.

“Let us wait and see if other Penang leaders will support him,” Lim told reporters after opening a national workshop for DAP local councillors in Ipoh on Sunday.

Lim said since the media furore over the issue started, he had not been in communication with Zahrain, adding that it had not affected the running of the state government.

“It is business as usual in Penang. After all he (Zahrain) is not an assemblyman.

Have to address the reasl reasons

“Of course, the media will try to create a sense of crisis and that is what Barisan Nasional wants to achieve,” he said, admitting that he was surprised by Zahrain’s attack.

“This just came out of the blue and I feel we have to address the real reasons behind it,” he said.

Responding to a statement by Barsan chief Najib Abdul Razak that the open spat involving Pakatan leaders was a sign that there was a serious split within the alliance, Lim said he had expected Barisan to turn the matter into a full-blown crisis.

“But one swallow does not make a summer,” he said, adding that it was unusual for the Prime Minister to express his views on such a matter. - Malaysian Mirror