Tee Beng’s disciplinary hearing pushed to March 6

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 — The PKR disciplinary board has postponed its meeting with Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng to March 6 but the errant lawmaker insists that his hearing take place on Wednesday.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the decision to postpone was due to Tan’s failure to pick either of the dates — Feb 23 or March 6 — given to him by the board for his hearing.

However, it is understood that Tan, through his aide, has responded to the request late this evening but only after the board had already decided to postpone tomorrow’s hearing.

“Initially, Tan insisted that the hearing takes place tomorrow and even if there is no hearing, he will be at the party headquarters to prove his point,” said a source from the board.

Tan was among PKR MPs from Penang who have been at loggerheads with the party leadership and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, a confrontation which has led to his being issued a show cause letter on Wednesday and a referral to the board.

Action is being initiated against the parliamentarian for a falling foul of Clause 27 of the party charter: insubordination, conduct unbecoming, and bringing the party into disrepute by openly criticising party leaders and PR members.

Another PKR MP, Zulkifli Noordin, had voiced their support for the newly-independent lawmaker Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim when he attacked the Penang chief minister for being “chauvinistic, dictator, and communist-minded”.

Zulkifli was subsequently referred to the party’s disciplinary board but his hearing scheduled for Feb 18, was also postponed as the lawmaker is currently in Korea for a leadership conference.

He alleged that there is a conspiracy to sack him, claiming that the date given for his hearing was chosen to coincide with a leadership conference in Korea which he is attending.

PKR had denied nominating Zulkifli for the trip and has rescheduled his hearing date to March 1 while Tan received the show-cause letter last week and is scheduled to attend the disciplinary board proceedings tomorrow.