PKR chief urges 'children' to close ranks, set aside desires

GE14 | PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, describing herself as a mother to many children with different whims, urged them to close ranks ahead of the 14th general election.

This was amid internal wranglings over the party's candidate list which Wan Azizah partially announced at Pakatan Harapan's ceramah at Kuala Selangor stadium tonight.

But before she made the announcement, Wan Azizah impressed upon her "children" that they must set aside their desires.

"Do not split apart, do not feel that just because you did not get anything, you would do anything (to hurt the party).

“Please, as a mother to many children with their own whims, as a mother, I want our family to stay loving, united, strong and holding onto the principles of our fight,” she said.

“I want us to remember this is our shared responsibility. Not everyone will get what they want, not everyone will be dropped, but we want a future together,” she added.

Many have sacrificed to get the opposition to where it is now, she said, but they must continue to keep their goal in mind, that is to win the elections.

“Some (sacrifices) may not have been recorded, some may feel slighted and some may have lost but we want to win, don’t we?” she said.

They need to set aside their difference for the sake of the country and for the future of their grandchildren, Wan Azizah said.

“We might feel that our differences may split us but what is in our heart (is) our homeland Malaysia, the land where our blood is spilled.

“I will do everything in my power to save my country... because we want a better and brighter future for our grandchildren,” she said.

Her remarks came hours after PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, who is also Selangor PKR chief, met with party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim at the Cheras rehabilitation hospital today.

He had met with Anwar to discuss the crisis concerning the party’s candidates’ list for the coming election.

There had been rumours that PKR vice-president Tian Chua would quit, though the incumbent Batu MP has since reiterated his commitment to PKR.

However, Tian Chua did advise Anwar and Wan Azizah not to give in to factional interest in deciding the candidates' list.

Meanwhile, incumbent Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei had held a teary press conference complaining about a poison pen letter in a bid to get her dropped as a candidate.

In tonight’s candidate announcement, Wan Azizah had unveiled Chua Wei Kiat as Gan’s replacement in Rawang, though she did not make any announcement for Batu. -Mkini