PKR has suspended its Wanita chief Haniza Talha pending a disciplinary probe and slapped vice-president Tian Chua with a show-cause letter.
According to Haniza, she was suspended over an unspecified meeting with former PKR leaders Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin, who had defected to Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional.
She questioned the rationale for the suspension when PKR president Anwar Ibrahim held a meeting with Prime Minister and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who played a significant role in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
“Zuraida and Azmin are in the same party as the prime minister. Why can’t I meet with Zuraida and Azmin but the president can meet with Muhyiddin? What is that about?” she told Malaysiakini.
Haniza said she found it odd that the suspension letter did not state when she had met the former PKR duo.
Furthermore, she said it was also strange that the letter referred to a PKR central leadership decision on March 21 ordering Hanizah and Chua to show cause but did not suspend them.
“You can’t do things like this. You made one decision, but took a different action,” she said when asked if she would remain with PKR.
The Lembah Jaya assemblyperson said the letter was delivered to her on Monday, an hour before the PKR political bureau meeting.
This barred her from joining the meeting.
Meanwhile, PKR disciplinary board chief Ahmad Kassim stressed that neither Haniza or Chua were being sacked.
Haniza’s suspension, he said, was pending a probe by the board.
“She is not sacked. When the board’s probe is over, maybe the board will be satisfied with her answers and the suspension will be lifted and she will be a member again,” he said when contacted.
Haniza was said to have met Azmin and Zuraida at a hotel in Damansara on Feb 24.
She told FMT her suspension took effect on April 6 but said she had only received the letter two days ago.
Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah, who was recently sacked from the party, claimed that “more than 200 members” were given letters of suspension and termination on April 1.
She said the grounds of dismissal in the letters given to members, including herself, were vague and deprived them of defence.
Ema, who is also known as Ratu Naga, is said to be an ally of Azmin.
She has two weeks to appeal against her sacking as a member of PKR.