Fate of Azmin, Haziq up to PKR political bureau
Published on: Thursday, June 20, 2019
By: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The PKR political bureau will decide whether action is to be taken against Datuk Seri Azmin Ali following sex videos allegedly implicating him and another party member.
PKR Secretary-General Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the party leadership will discuss if action is to be taken against Azmin’s accuser Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz later this evening, but remained coy when asked about the PKR deputy president.
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“As the secretary-general, I have no control what the political bureau members are going to discuss,” Saifuddin told Malaysiakini.
As for accusations that PKR didn’t handle the matter properly Saifuddin said: “Is there any action taken by PKR leadership? Yes, we issued a statement that we leave it to the police to investigate,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying.
“We can’t hurl more slander (at Azmin) when the police are still investigating the case,” he added.
Haziq, the suspended secretary to Deputy Primary Industries Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, and Azmin were implicated in the three-minute long video clip, featuring two men having sex, which was leaked earlier this week.
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Haziq insists he is a victim, saying the alleged tryst was supposed to be private but instead recorded and released to the public.
He also said he is fearful of ending up missing or dead like Mongolian model Altantuya Sharriibuu, which was why he came forward with the confession.
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Azmin, on the other hand, has denied these allegations, insisting it is an inside job from someone trying to destroy his political career.
Meanwhile, PKR will issue a show-cause letter to Haziq for tarnishing the party’s name and reputation by making a public statement on his involvement in a sex video. Its disciplinary board chief Datuk Ahmad Kassim said Haziq will be given 14 days to answer to the letter.
He said the party’s political bureau, which had met earlier, has been informed of the course of action that needs to be taken by the top leadership, which includes taking note of Azmin’s denial on the issue and to consider any further explanations.
“We will also wait for the completion of the investigation by the police and other authoritative bodies,” Ahmad told a press conference here today, adding that the party has issued a stern warning against all of its members from making any baseless statements against the top leadership.
Meanwhile, PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the decision by the disciplinary board was agreed upon with the consensus of the party leadership, including vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin, who had earlier called for the sacking of Haziq from the party.
“She was in the meeting and there was a consensus. The attendance was almost full, except for deputy president Azmin.
“All expressed their views but the decision stands as decided by the disciplinary board,” said Anwar, who chaired the bureau political meeting earlier today.
On Haziq’s claim that his confession of his involvement was prompted by fear, Anwar said it was a serious allegation or insinuation and said that the party will leave it to the police to investigate and for him to clarify his statement.
When asked for his comments on Azmin’s claim that the sex video was an inside job, Anwar reiterated that all party members were advised to adduce facts or evidence to support any allegations in order for the party to take action against it.
“There are forums that the party must respect and observe,” he said.
Haziq has been suspended from his duties as the senior private secretary to Primary Industries Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin after claiming to have had sex with Azmin on numerous occasions over the past three years.
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