By Michael Kaung
KOTA KINABALU: Confusion reins in Sabah over the suspension of 12 Sabah PKR members following a fallout resulting from an attempt to register a new party last year.
One of the 12 members who was suspended, Harry Manicit, said that he was not even a member of PKR at the time when the application to register Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) was submitted.
Indirectly supporting him was PKR vice president Jeffrey Kitingan who said he was taken aback by the party's statement that all 12 of his lieutenants had been suspended and not just three.
“Something is not right. That is not the impression I got after the supreme council meeting on Sunday,” he said yesterday following the party's announcement that all 12 of his men were suspended for a year for involvement in forming the new party.
“I'm utterly confused … what is going on?” Jeffrey asked.
He said that he had clarified the status of the 12 with party headquarters on Sunday and was informed that the suspension was for all.
“But the impression I got from the supreme council meeting was that only three were suspended and the others were let off with a stern warning," said Jeffrey.
He urged the 12 to appeal the decision before he decides on the next course of action.
“What they now tell me is that they will have to appeal and then nine of them will get a warning while the three others will suspended for a year from January this year.
"Be fair … this is not the way to make a decision," he said.
He stressed that he disagreed that disciplinary action was needed as the peace deal' struck in December last year following the rebellion against Sabah PKR leadership under Azmin Ali, a party vice president, had been already settled.
The whole issue, he said, had caused him to question how much the PKR headquarters could be trusted.
“If they can renege on a small peace deal, what about all the deals we have signed to safeguard Sabah's interest. People are going to question the sincerity of the party," he said.
Also read:
PKR announces suspension of Sabah 12
