Kulim MP to face disciplinary committee on Sat

PKR Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Nordin will be facing the party's disciplinary committee on Saturday over his involvement in the disruption of the Aug 9 Bar Council forum.

“We will give Zulkifli the opportunity to explain and then decide on recommendations for any further action if necessary to be conveyed to the supreme council for endorsement,” PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali said when contacted.

“(Alternatively) we may also request the party’s disciplinary board to investigate the issue further,” he said.

While the disciplinary committee which Syed Husin heads comes under the party's supreme council, the disciplinary board is regarded as the second tier in the disciplinary procedure.

Syed Husin said the conclusion of the Permatang Pauh by-election would now allow PKR to “go back to (internal) party matters” and the Zulkifli Nordin case was held back because of Permatang Pauh.

Zulkifli landed in 'hot soup' with his party after he figured prominently in the protests against the Bar Council forum, which centered on the issue of conversions to Islam. Zulkifli had described the holding of the forum as an attack on Islam.

The Kedah MP was one of those accused of disrupting the forum when he barged in with other protesters into the Bar Council auditorium and forced it to end prematurely.

Prepared to explain

Zulkifli, however, said he had only gone into the hall at the invitation of a council member to verify that the event had stopped.

When contacted, Zulkifli said he has not been notified of the Saturday meeting but was prepared to explain his side of the story to the disciplinary committee.

“It is the prerogative of the party to take action against any party member,” said Zulkifli.

He also said that his position in relation to the party’s actions against him would be made known once the disciplinary committee’s recommendations were issued.

“My reply to the disciplinary committee would depend on the action taken,” he said.

“It does not necessarily follow such a meeting that disciplinary action will in fact be taken,” he added.