Khalid to consider appeal when he returns from Saudi

By Wong Choon Mei, Harakah

PAS MP for Shah Alam Khalid Samad said he will consider whether or not to appeal the six months suspension slapped on him by the party's disciplinary board when he returns from Saudi Arabia on February 12.

“I will think about the appeal when I get back. What is important is that Datuk Hasan was also found to be in the wrong and as such he should no longer raise problems for the Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor,” Khalid told Harakahdaily in a text message.

The popular 53-year old leader, well-respected for his principled and multiracial stance, was found guilty of having breached party rules by calling on Selangor PAS commissioner Hasan Ali to resign and for divulging to the media what had transpired at a state liaison meeting last year.

Hasan wrong to air grouses that can hurt Pakatan

The PAS disciplinary board headed by Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also issued a warning letter to Hasan.

Hasan was found guilty of discrediting the Pakatan state government by issuing public statements without going through internal channels, mainly over the recent Selcat inquiry into how state allocations were being run down by Umno-BN assemblymen. Selcat is a Selangor parliamentary watchdog committee.

Both men were found guilty under Section 75 of the PAS constitution. They have also been prohibited from making statements that can harm the party’s image.

“The suspension on Khalid extends to all position he holds in the party including as Shah Alam chief and also as committee member of the political bureau,” Tuan Ibrahim told a press conference.

“As for Hasan, even though he is not part of Selcat and Selcat is independent from the exco, we decided that Selcat was established by the state government and approved by the exco. Therefore as an exco member, he should bring any matters related to Selcat during the exco meeting and not outside,” Tuan Man also said.

Khalid likely to heed supporters' call to appeal

Both men have 30 days to appeal. Hasan has blamed the media for sensationalizing the events that led to his being brought before the disciplinary panel. It is unclear if he will appeal the warning given to him.

Meanwhile, Khalid’s close aides expect him to give in to the calls that have rung in non-stop for him not to give up.

“It is as though the whole of Malaysia has been calling to ask YB to appeal and not to be upset. But YB is now in Saudi and what is there to be upset about anyway. He is a very calm man and from what we know, he won’t let his supporters down,” an aide told Harakahdaily.