It was initially rumoured to be a “parallel congress” to rival the main PKR congress held in Melaka over the weekend.
Among the notable speakers was PKR vice-president and former Batu MP Chua Tian Chang said the gathering was a nostalgic but firm reminder of the party’s founding principles.
The idea of justice and genuine democracy, he added, was what brought together like-minded reformists to build the party.
“When I stand up here, I feel a sense of nostalgia.
“But nostalgia alone cannot be enough. We have to look forward because reform has no full stop. All the imperfections, we must work to correct them. And we have built this party with our own sweat and tears for 20 years and this party is the hope of most Malaysians,” said Chua, also known as Tian Chua.
Held at the grand ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel here where PKR was birthed just over 20 years ago by a band of self-professed reformists comprising former Umno and civil society members, Azmin’s camp appeared to be sending a pointed message to party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters.
To Azmin and his followers, the so-called SPV 2030 dinner marks a significant moment in the party’s history where members emerge from under Anwar’s shadow to overcome the politics of individualism.
Haniza Talha, the chief of PKR’s female wing, said in her speech that genuine reformists in the party must no longer be subservient to any single politician, without mentioning names.
According to the PKR leader, such a politician has turned into the tyrant he once opposed, by refusing to accommodate differing views within the party.
“It has come to a point where he no longer wants to listen to others,” she said to loud applause.
“When that happens, you’ve become a dictator,” she added, which the dinner audience seemingly understood though no names were mentioned.
Last Saturday, Azmin and members of his faction walked out of the PKR national congress in Melaka as a protest against Anwar’s veiled attacks, which broke a truce agreed upon a day before the assembly took place.
During the president’s policy speech debates, delegates seen close to Anwar also hurled diatribes against Azmin, mostly accusing him of betrayal. Many had also called for him and his supporters to be sacked from the party.
PKR supreme council member Amirudin Shari who is also Selangor mentri besar said in his speech at the gathering that the calamity at the national congress and the abuse against Azmin and his supporters reflected blind fanaticism for a single leader.
“I did not join the party to be around blind fanatics,” he said.
“I am in the party to fight for justice, which we have done and continue to do through our policies especially in Selangor. There, we have come up with a holistic plan to help the poor, youths, all layers of society. Good policies are what we should talk about, not calling this or that person traitors or political intrigues.”
Other leaders echoed the view that Anwar’s camp is seemingly fixated on politicking.
Another PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin suggested that Anwar’s faction was behind the attempts to consolidate their own base by sabotaging appointments at state level, and this was most evident in Selangor where the party has ruled for three terms.
“I am disappointed because the organisation at state level is haywire.
“All the appointments that were given to PKR were sabotaged by state leaders who want anyone seen close to me or others to be sacked. It seems that the [central leadership] doesn’t want to listen or use our experience,” she said.
Zuraida claimed these leaders were the same culprits that abused and attacked Azmin at the national congress yesterday.
Other notable PKR leaders present were former vice-president R. Sivarasa, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar, two former Anwar loyalists Teluk Kemang MP Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abas and Khalid Jaafar and social activist Hishamuddin Rais.
Three things we learnt from: PKR’s 14th National Congress
Yet, throughout its four days, the congress was marred with violence and walkouts as the rift between Anwar and his second-in-command Datuk Seri Azmin Ali seemingly grew wider, dragging party members, and ostensibly, the nation along with them.
With the event now over but still on the public’s minds, here are Malay Mail’s observations from the congress:
1. Azmin extends his soft power
Anwar may be president, but Azmin seems to hold as much sway over the party with several displays of support and adoration from members.
On the first day, which saw the launch of both the Wanita and Youth wings’ meets, there were even those who wore red instead of the party’s iconic light blue, with the words ‘AA TEAM’ printed on their right sleeves — an obvious display backing Azmin.
Prior to Azmin’s speech, the organiser also played a short montage in praise of Azmin’s purported “sacrifices” for the party with nary a mention of Anwar or his wife, past president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Produced by Wanita PKR information chief Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah — better known by her “cybertrooper” persona Ratu Naga — the three-minute video highlighted the deeds of Azmin, who, his supporters claimed, had been unfairly targeted by the rival faction.
It was therefore unsurprising to see that the crowd considerably thinned out after Azmin’s supporters walked out on Saturday, and then abandoned the last day, only to join the minister in a separate “mirror congress” in Kuala Lumpur instead.
2. Transition of power from Dr M to Anwar still lingers
To log in to the Wi-Fi in the venue’s media centre, the password provided was “AnwaribrahimPM8” — a clear reference to Anwar’s status as Pakatan Harapan’s so-called “prime minister-in-waiting”.
With Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yet to give a concrete timeline of the transition of power, some of delegates appeared to be fixated on the topic during the debate session and winding-up speeches of the congress even when Anwar himself made little-to-no mention of it.
The topic of the power transition was highlighted heavily during the debate session on Anwar’s speech during the third day of congress, notably in the absence of Azmin and his group who had walked out.
Those from the top leadership who spoke of it in their winding-up speeches included secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, vice-president Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar and Youth chief Akmal Nasrullah Md Nasir.
Even on the final day, delegates were seen with “Anwar PM-8” placards in the hall.
3. Olive branch extended but will peace ensue?
Following the Azmin faction’s walkout, Anwar then said he personally remained open to a reconciliation of their two camps but stressed that he must also acknowledge those within PKR who are demanding stern action against the so-called “cartel”, including the group’s expulsion from the party.
It would also seem that Azmin’s reconciliation may not bode well as those aligned with Anwar have now openly signalled his “betrayal” with party information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin further labelling them as “anti-democrats”.
In defiance of Anwar’s warning that those who attend the “rival” event in support of Azmin last night would be sacked, thousands turned up to the purported briefing on the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.
Azmin too did not hold back last night, portraying himself as a “bigger reformist” who had “suffered” much earlier than Anwar, and warning that he may be at the absolute end of his patience.
“You do not know who Azmin Ali is. In his calmness, you know little of what he’s capable of,” Azmin warned.
Whether Azmin shows what he is capable of in the coming days may well make or break PKR.
PKR supporters cheer while PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali is giving his speech during the ‘SPV 2030’ dinner at Hotel Renaissance Kuala Lumpur December 8, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara
– Malay Mail
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