The Reason Behind The Ban

Zaid: Sack Zulkifli

The MalaysianInsider, 26 Jan 2010 By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — PKR supreme council member, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today said the party should sack lawmaker Zulkifli Noordin, after the Kulim MP lodged a police report against a colleague from PAS over the “Allah” issue.

Zaid’s call comes amid a growing chorus of criticisms against Zulkifli from within PKR, including from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who said last night that the MP known for his hardline Islamic views had crossed the line.

“We (PKR) are a reform movement. We go by the law. Even if you disagree, it’s okay, [but] don’t lodge a police report.

“It is time for PKR to look at itself... its credibility is being affected. In my view, they must sack him. Otherwise the party will become a laughing stock,” said Zaid.

Zaid’s strong remarks and Anwar’s move to discipline Zulkifli may signal the end of the road for the Kulim MP in PKR, who has been openly hostile towards colleagues from Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

PKR de facto leader Anwar said last night that Zulkilfi will face disciplinary action by the party.

Anwar added that Zulkifli had crossed the line by lodging the report and that he was disappointed with him.

“I have always given him room to express himself but I have not always agreed with him.

“I have advised him not to cause any tension among our partners but he has crossed the line this time,” Anwar told reporters at Pakatan Rakyat’s road show here last night.

Zulkifli had lodged a police report against the PAS’ Khalid Samad for making a statement that a Selangor enactment which prohibited non-Muslims from using the word “Allah” and other Islamic terms was “outdated.”

Anwar confirmed that he has written to Zulkifli and was expecting an explanation before Tuesday.

“I have emailed him so that he will give an explanation because I want to refer this case to the party’s disciplinary committee and political bureau which will hold a meeting this Tuesday. I hope he can provide his answer before that,” he added.

Anwar also questioned why Zulkifli never referred his grievances to the party leadership.

However, Zaid, who is also Pakatan Rakyat pro-tem chairman, remained unconvinced as to whether tomorrow’s PKR Supreme Council meeting on Zulkifli’s action would bear fruit.

“PKR must decide who they want to keep. If you keep Zulkifli, you will lose some other people. I hope that tomorrow, everyone will be serious in not accepting MPs like this, who only confuse the situation further.

“I have expressed my views about Zulkilfi [before], but no action has been taken against him. Zulikifli has been a problem for a long time. Remember when he protested against the Bar Council? You cannot lodge a police report just because someone disagreed with you... to lodge a police report against someone is an act of intimidation,” said Zaid.

The PKR man asserted that being a member of parliament was a huge responsibility to undertake, and that MPs must have good character as they are the “spokesmen for the rakyat.”

“MPs should uphold the law, they have to be careful of what they say. If you use that platform irresponsibly, then you do not deserve to be a member of parliament.”

Zaid also explained that the contention over the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims was misplaced as legally, non-Muslims had a right to use the word among themselves provided they did not “preach” to Muslims.

According to him, under the state laws outlined in The Enactment for Non-Muslims 1988, it clearly states that Christians were not allowed to use the word “Allah” to propagate their beliefs to non-Muslims. They are allowed to practise it among themselves.

“The difference between the issue of conversion and normal usage of the word has to be understood. You cannot restrict people from practising something they have been doing for hundreds of years. When the Barisan government banned Herald from using, it they went against their own ruling.”

Zaid claims that the reason why the government has come down hard on Herald was because the Catholic Church’s weekly had supported Bersih, a campaign organised mainly by the opposition a few years back to fight for clean and transparent elections throughout the country.

“The reason they (BN) are doing this is because Herald had supported the opposition, especially during [the] Bersih [campaign],” said Zaid.

The police report against Khalid is not Zulkifli’s first “renegade” act that has placed him at odds with his party and Pakatan Rakyat as a coalition.

The Kulim MP, who was formerly with PAS, has acted in ways seen to be detrimental to the opposition pact in the past.

One example was when he played a role in the demonstration against the Bar Council outside the body’s headquarters.

The protest, held by far-right Umno-affiliated groups and other conservative NGOs, was organised to disrupt the Bar Council’s seminar on the jurisdiction crisis between the Syariah and the civil courts.

Despite his involvement, action was also not taken against him then.