KUCHING: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak pledges to stand behind Zuraida Kamaruddin after the PKR vice president was issued a show cause letter for openly criticising fellow PKR leaders at a function in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8.
Sarawak PKR information chief Desmond Kho stated that Zuraida or ‘Kak Zu’ is known as being a ‘no nonsense’ person, and does not hesitate to speak her mind especially when it is the truth. She always calls a spade a spade.
“She never falters from a challenge, being very vocal in Malaysia’s ‘Cowgate’ which resulted in legal challenges but the ‘Iron Lady’ has stood her ground and eventually proved to be right.
“Hence the show-cause letter, which is intended to stifle her, is not popular and seen among the party faithful and grassroots alike as outright censorship.
“We call for the Party leadership to rescind its action and retract the disciplinary committee’s letter without any condition to avoid any negative impact on the public,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Kho further stated that it was no secret that Kak Zu had always been supportive of Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s efforts to develop and strengthen the party.
Thus, Kho believed that the action by the disciplinary committee against Kak Zu was a continuation of internal strife in the party.
“This goes directly against the wishes of our president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who has stated that ‘the public is bored’ with the politicking in the party.
“The recent result of the Kimanis by-election is a clear message from the electorate, that bickering must stop.
“It is without doubt that the disciplinary committee has the power to issue such a show-cause letter, but they are reminded that ‘with great power comes great responsibility’,” he said.
Zuraida is also Pakatan Harapan Wanita chief and federal Housing and Local Government Minister.
On Jan 18, Zuraida received a show-cause letter from PKR disciplinary committee asking her to respond to issues raised in the notice within 14 days.
She was accused of insulting party members and publicly disclosing details of a private conversation with party president Anwar Ibrahim during a function.
In her speech, she claimed that Anwar had tried to convince her that it was Azmin in a sex video that went viral in June last year and went on to say that Anwar’s judgment had been influenced by “novice” members and “mafia” in the party.
