Former Selangor PAS commissioner Hasan Ali has claimed that his sacking from the party earlier this month went against established procedures and Islamic principles.
“My expulsion did not follow procedures, I was not given a chance to defend myself,” he told a press conference at his home in Kuala Lumpur today.
“It was autocratic, non-democratic and deviated from Islamic principles of managing an organisation.”
Hasan maintained that there should have been an official written accusation against him and the matter was supposed to have been brought to the party disciplinary board first.
Both he claimed, never took place prior to his “autocratic” sacking.
Last week Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin spoke up for Hasan on the same matter, saying that the “absolute power” which the PAS central working committee seemd to wield would not have happened in Umno, which would be guided by its Islam-based democratic practices, and would at least call for Hasan’s defence and brought the matter before its disciplinary body.
Hasan maintained that his expulsion had nothing to do with his differences with the party as claimed, but was due to his opposition to the 901 rally in support of Anwar Ibrahim in relation to the sodomy verdict on Jan 9 and pressure from PKR.
“The other differences were already discussed, solved and harmonised when I apologised during my meeting with deputy spiritual leader Haron Din, spiritual leader Nik Aziz and president Hadi Awang in Kota Baru.”
“However when I told members, especially students not to attend the 901 rally, which is about an individual, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali got upset and told PAS to sack me. Lo and behold that was what the party did later.
“Indeed my stand on the 901 rally is actually aligned to Hadi’s policy of neither encouraging nor asking members to attend it.”
Hasan was expelled on Jan 8, following a surprise decision by the central working committee that deemed he had acted against the interests of the party.
PAS has explained that while the expulsion was not carried out based on normal disciplinary rules and bypassed the disciplinary body, it was sanctioned under new provisions added during a 2009 amendment, specifically Article 82(9) of the party constitution, which allows the central body to punish members directly in special cases and for major offences.
Letter from palace
On a related matter, Hasan confirmed that he has received a letter from the palace earlier in the morning informing him that he has been dropped as Selangor exco member in charge of Islamic affairs, Malay customs, infrastucture and public amenities.
While saying that he is well prepared for the occurrence and accepted the decision with an open heart, he questioned the timing of the move.
“This happened before my grace period to appeal my expulsion from PAS... I think the MB Khalid Ibrahim overlooked this when he advised the sultan.
“I must ask, why is the rush? It is as if there are those who urgently want me gone,” said Hasan.
He argued that technically he still has time to appeal his sacking from PAS and during which the proper formality was to allow for him to remain an exco member, adding that he already applied for leave from Khalid (right) for the same grace period.
When quizzed about the same matter during his press conference to announce his decision to remove Hasan frm office last Friday, Khalid dismissed the matter, saying that as far as he is concerned the former PAS member is no longer a state lawmaker belonging to the Islamic party.
“There are no provisions for an independent to become an exco member... This the MB’s decision and will take effect immediately,” explained the MB last week.
“My expulsion did not follow procedures, I was not given a chance to defend myself,” he told a press conference at his home in Kuala Lumpur today.
“It was autocratic, non-democratic and deviated from Islamic principles of managing an organisation.”
Hasan maintained that there should have been an official written accusation against him and the matter was supposed to have been brought to the party disciplinary board first.Both he claimed, never took place prior to his “autocratic” sacking.
Last week Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin spoke up for Hasan on the same matter, saying that the “absolute power” which the PAS central working committee seemd to wield would not have happened in Umno, which would be guided by its Islam-based democratic practices, and would at least call for Hasan’s defence and brought the matter before its disciplinary body.
Hasan maintained that his expulsion had nothing to do with his differences with the party as claimed, but was due to his opposition to the 901 rally in support of Anwar Ibrahim in relation to the sodomy verdict on Jan 9 and pressure from PKR.
“The other differences were already discussed, solved and harmonised when I apologised during my meeting with deputy spiritual leader Haron Din, spiritual leader Nik Aziz and president Hadi Awang in Kota Baru.”
“However when I told members, especially students not to attend the 901 rally, which is about an individual, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali got upset and told PAS to sack me. Lo and behold that was what the party did later.“Indeed my stand on the 901 rally is actually aligned to Hadi’s policy of neither encouraging nor asking members to attend it.”
Hasan was expelled on Jan 8, following a surprise decision by the central working committee that deemed he had acted against the interests of the party.
PAS has explained that while the expulsion was not carried out based on normal disciplinary rules and bypassed the disciplinary body, it was sanctioned under new provisions added during a 2009 amendment, specifically Article 82(9) of the party constitution, which allows the central body to punish members directly in special cases and for major offences.
Letter from palace
On a related matter, Hasan confirmed that he has received a letter from the palace earlier in the morning informing him that he has been dropped as Selangor exco member in charge of Islamic affairs, Malay customs, infrastucture and public amenities.
While saying that he is well prepared for the occurrence and accepted the decision with an open heart, he questioned the timing of the move.
“This happened before my grace period to appeal my expulsion from PAS... I think the MB Khalid Ibrahim overlooked this when he advised the sultan.
“I must ask, why is the rush? It is as if there are those who urgently want me gone,” said Hasan.
He argued that technically he still has time to appeal his sacking from PAS and during which the proper formality was to allow for him to remain an exco member, adding that he already applied for leave from Khalid (right) for the same grace period.When quizzed about the same matter during his press conference to announce his decision to remove Hasan frm office last Friday, Khalid dismissed the matter, saying that as far as he is concerned the former PAS member is no longer a state lawmaker belonging to the Islamic party.
“There are no provisions for an independent to become an exco member... This the MB’s decision and will take effect immediately,” explained the MB last week.
'Plenty of opportunities to raise qualms'
Meanwhile, PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar rejected Hasan’s claim, insisting that the latter was given “plenty of opportunities to raise his qualms” during meetings “but he was absent and chose to use a public platform” to attack and deride the party.
Mahfuz, who was part of the central working committee which sacked Hassan, added that it is “unfair” to say that PAS acted undemocratically.
“Hassan met with the spiritual leader and his deputy in Kelantan but after speaking to them he was still issuing rash statement and criticising PAS publicly when there are internal mechanisms,” Mahfuz told Malaysiakini.
“We just can’t let it to continue... so the decision was taken to expel Hassan,” he said.
Additional reporting by S Pathmawathy
Mahfuz, who was part of the central working committee which sacked Hassan, added that it is “unfair” to say that PAS acted undemocratically.
“Hassan met with the spiritual leader and his deputy in Kelantan but after speaking to them he was still issuing rash statement and criticising PAS publicly when there are internal mechanisms,” Mahfuz told Malaysiakini.
“We just can’t let it to continue... so the decision was taken to expel Hassan,” he said.
Additional reporting by S Pathmawathy
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