Lesson gleaned from Tories - Anwar warns infighting sounds death knell for parties

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim today shared his thoughts on how a Conservative Party coup against embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May failed to materialise.

However, his caution regarding the perils of political infighting appeared to resonate with what is transpiring with regard to the factionalism in PKR and Pakatan Harapan.

"Like many political parties, the Tories would be in a stronger position if some members focused on their principles and responsibilities to the country.

"Political infighting for personal gain has been the downfall of many a government," he tweeted.

Anwar's statement comes in the wake of his daughter and former PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah's interview with Singapore's Straits Times.

The interview raised eyebrows and invited scorn from certain factions when Nurul, albeit in passing, described Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a former dictator who wreaked much damage on her family and the nation.

She was referring to her father's acrimonious past with Mahathir when the latter sacked him in 1998 on grounds of sexual misconduct, a charge which Anwar has maintained to this day was fabricated.

Subsequently, PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali took to Twitter to criticise those who whined.

Though he did not mention names, it is believed the message was directed at Nurul Izzah.

"This country needs doers who are prepared to tough it out all the way, not cry babies. Whatever it takes, we must make it work. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen," he said.

It is an open secret that Azmin and those aligned to him have been at odds with Anwar, who appears to favour vice-president Rafizi Ramli.

In the last party polls, Rafizi had failed to unseat Azmin from the number two post despite having Nurul Izzah's support.

Meanwhile, in another posting, Anwar said he would not compromise on the issue that Harapan's economic agenda must be needs-based, and not race-based.

"It is politically convenient to rile people up. But I will not compromise on this issue... We must shed racial politics and fear-mongering in order for Malaysia to progress," he added.

Anwar is slated to take over the reins from Mahathir after two years, but there has been constant speculation that this might not materialise. - Mkini