KUALA LUMPUR – If you can dish out advice, you have to take it too, said PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil about fellow party member Hassan Karim’s reaction when he was given a stern warning against “meddling” in the affairs of another political party.
“When we advise others, we also should be ready to receive advice,” the communication minister told reporters on the sidelines of the Youth Empowerment Fair at the KL convention centre here today.
“Pak Hassan is someone I respect a lot and he has no issues with the reproach. If he has given a ‘teguran’ (rebuke), he should also be ready to receive one.”
As for possible disciplinary action against Hassan, Fahmi said the party leaders have not called for a meeting on the matter, so it is not an issue
Yesterday, Fahmi said his fellow party members should not be issuing statements on other parties in the unity government.
“Political leaders should not be too quick in issuing comments that can hurt our friends in the Madani government. “I gave Hassan a stern warning. He should not meddle in the affairs of other parties. He’s a friend and someone I respect, but this approach is not helpful.
“If we do that, we give others the opportunity to attack. It is not my place to comment on any party, but I hope those in the Madani government will work together.”
In response, Hassan acknowledged his preparedness for the party to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him as he had to defend the right to express his thoughts.
“I officially became a party member 46 years ago in 1978 as a member of Parti Rakyat Malaysia. During that period of more than four decades, this is the first time I have been harshly reprimanded and publicly denounced on social media for the offence of expressing political thoughts and views. I am not discouraged,” he said in a statement last night.
Days ago, Hassan earned the ire of Umno after saying that the party should remove president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to regain support from the Malays.
This led to Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi taking a swipe at Hassan, saying that the PKR man should question the performance of Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
“That is the problem with Hassan…he and several other PKR leaders lack self-awareness.
“What has Rafizi Ramli done for the people’s economy besides introducing the Central Database Hub?
“Don’t forget, the Sarawak premier also made negative comments about the education minister from PKR. Hassan should urge PMX (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to do an evaluation on this”, said Puad in a Facebook post. – February 4, 2024