Odd that PKR hasn’t acted against Haziq, says analyst

Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Aziz, in his Facebook video confessing to being one of two men allegedly involved in homosexual activities.

PETALING JAYA: A political analyst has warned that PKR’s refusal to discipline youth leader Haziq Aziz may erode support for itself as well as Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Azmi Hassan of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said he found it strange that PKR had not taken action against Haziq over his allegation that he and the party’s deputy president, Mohamed Azmin Ali, had engaged in sexual relations.

“People may view Haziq’s action as being sanctioned by the party or an influential group within it,” he told FMT.

“It sends out a message that those who are protected are safe, no matter how grave their discipline issue.”

Some PKR leaders, such as vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin and the vice-chief of the party’s youth wing, Mohd Nazree Mohd Yunus, have called for Haziq’s sacking following his allegation that he and Azmin were the two men in video clips that have gone viral.

The party issued Haziq a show-cause letter last week and gave him 14 days to respond.

Azmi said failure to take action against Haziq might lead to uneasiness among PKR and PH supporters who did not condone his action.

“If no action is taken or if the lack of disciplinary action against Haziq is not explained, I think support for PH will be eroded,” he said.

Haziq heads the Santubong PKR Youth. If he is sacked, he will join the ranks of many former PKR leaders and members, the most prominent of whom is perhaps former Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim.

Khalid was sacked in 2014 after refusing to vacate the menteri besar’s post to make way for Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was then PKR president and the newly elected state assembly representative for Kajang. The Selangor palace eventually chose Azmin as his replacement.

Prior to Khalid’s sacking, PKR suspended the membership of former Kapar MP S Manikavasagam and seven others pending investigations into allegations that they had cheated in the party polls and had openly criticised the party.

In 2016, former Rembau PKR chief Badrul Hisham Shahrin was sacked for “damaging the image of the party and causing division among members” by defying party orders.

In 2017, Kelantan PKR Youth succeeded in getting the party to sack its chief, Mohd Hafidz Rizal Amran.

Last year, PKR sacked its Pasir Salak branch chief, Noor Azwan Ramli, for allegedly violating party discipline in the 14th general election. Six others had their membership suspended for two years. The party issued a statement saying it would not hesitate to take disciplinary action against any member guilty of tarnishing its image.

Late last year, PKR sacked two party members involved in scuffles during party polls in Kedah and Penang. - FMT