Kita sacks Zamil, Tan

The Kedah and Penang state heads have paid the price for battling it out against Zaid over his decision to dissolve Kita.

PETALING JAYA: Two state leaders of Zaid Ibrahim-led Kita have been sacked from the party with immediate effect for gross violations.

Kedah state chief Zamil Ibrahim and Penang head Tan Tee Beng were dismissed following a unanimous decision taken by the party’s disciplinary committee yesterday, said the committee chairperson Wan Hasemah @ Wan Norjam Wan Sulaiman today.

She said that both Zamil and Tan can appeal against the decision within 14 days.

Kita has been in turmoil following Zaid’s sudden announcement two weeks ago that he was going to dissolve the party, and throw his support for Pakatan Rakyat.

Many state leaders, led by Zamil and Tan, had expressed dismay over Zaid’s decision, saying that they had not been consulted over the matter. They had accused Zaid of acting in self-interest and making personal decisions in regards to the party.

They had also urged Zaid to leave the party and let the others lead Kita. Their outbursts have now caused them to be sacked from the party.

In another development, Kita’s information chief Mohamed Mazlan Abdul Manaf said Zaid’s proposal to dissolve the party would be discussed at the next Central Executive Committee meeting at the end of this month.

Stating that Zaid’s statement reflected his personal view, Mohamed Mazlan added that the CEC would back Zaid’s proposal “if the party leadership feels that the best way to prevent the party from being a vehicle to abuse the electoral process is to close the party”.

He claimed that Kita had been infiltrated by members whose sole agenda appears to be to contest the next general election.

“While we welcome members who genuinely wish to contest in the elections to fight for the party’s manifesto and principles, we will not field candidates whose objective is to “spoil votes”, and who are being used by certain groups to achieve their political aims.

“Such conduct is despicable and against the party’s principles. We will certainly not allow the party to be used in that way,” he said.