GEORGE TOWN, 4 March 2026 (The Capital Post) — Datuk Fahmi Zainol, a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) assemblyman and state executive councillor in Penang, has formally appealed to his party’s national leadership to overturn his suspension from all party positions, arguing that acting before legal due process could set a troubling precedent.
Fahmi’s appeal was made in a letter dated March 3 to PKR’s secretary-general, Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh, which was also copied to party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. He wrote that suspending a party member solely on a charge that has yet to be tested in court could undermine basic principles of justice and fairness.
In a statement issued earlier, PKR’s Central Leadership Council suspended Fahmi from all party posts with immediate effect, pending the outcome of his ongoing court case. The Pantai Jerejak assemblyman has pleaded not guilty to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt to his wife, with his trial set to continue in April.
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Fahmi maintains he has not received an official suspension letter under Clause 42.1 of the party constitution but submitted the appeal to ensure that proper party procedures are followed. He warned that if suspensions are routinely based on pending charges, any PKR leader could be sidelined before a verdict is reached, regardless of the merits of the case.
The outcome of Fahmi’s appeal is awaited from the PKR central leadership, which has yet to publicly respond to his request.-The Capital Post
