Fahmi appeals PKR suspension, says party role tied to his state seat

2026-03-03 - 13:34

PKR’s Fahmi Zainol questioned the legal basis for suspending him solely on the grounds of a court charge. (Facebook pic) GEORGE TOWN: PKR assemblyman Fahmi Zainol has appealed against the party’s decision to suspend him from all party positions following a recent domestic violence charge. In a letter to PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh, Fahmi said the only post he held in PKR was an ex officio position as a Penang PKR committee member, by virtue of being an assemblyman. Fahmi said as he remained the Pantai Jerejak assemblyman and state executive councillor, his ex officio seat in the PKR state chapter should technically remain intact. He also noted that he had not yet received an official suspension letter but was taking a pre-emptive approach to file the appeal to ensure the process followed the party’s constitution and principles of fairness. Fahmi questioned the legal basis for suspending him solely on the grounds of a court charge, saying he was unaware of any provision allowing a party post to be suspended for that reason alone. He warned that suspending a leader over an unproven charge could set a precedent which might be used against other leaders in the future, regardless of the strength of the allegation. “This approach could undermine basic fairness and expose the party to manipulation or abuse, affecting the party’s stability and public image,” he said. Fahmi urged PKR to withdraw the suspension and allow him space and time to resolve the matter through the courts. He expressed confidence that the charge was baseless and pledged full cooperation with the legal process to clear his name while remaining committed to the party. He also reiterated his loyalty to the party and said he would respect decisions made fairly and in accordance with the party’s constitution. The appeal letter, dated today, was also copied to party president Anwar Ibrahim, deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar, and Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow. PKR announced on March 1 that Fahmi had been suspended from all party positions until the end of his court case, after he claimed trial to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt to his wife. FMT has contacted Fuziah for comment.