Ezam: Meaningless for desperate leader to show support to PM

Former senator Ezam Mohd Noor (photo, above) may have reconciled with PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali in 2017 and even once proposed him as a potential prime ministerial candidate but the reconciliation does not appear to have been long-lived.

In a veiled salvo at Azmin today, Ezam said while there was no doubt about the support for Dr Mahathir Mohamad, such support must be based on honesty instead of coming out of "desperation" from someone facing serious allegations.

While Ezam did not name Azmin, he appeared to be referring to the economic affairs minister's statement yesterday expressing support for Mahathir to stay on for a full term as prime minister.

This was despite a Pakatan Harapan consensus for Mahathir to hand over power to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who Azmin is engaged in a feud, before the end of his term although no concrete time frame was given.

"For us, the basis of the government led by the current prime minister is the commitment to change in terms of combating corruption and good governance.

"Support without basis will not bring about anything positive to the progress of this nation for change...

“It is meaningless, and could even be negative, if it is done by a desperate leader plagued by serious allegations that have yet to be resolved, for personal political purposes," he said in a statement.

Yesterday, Azmin backed PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's call for Mahathir to remain as prime minister for a full term.

Last month, a sex video was released to politicians and journalists in several parts by anonymous persons. 

Subsequently, former Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz admitted that he is one of two men having sex in a video. He claimed his partner was Azmin.

Azmin has dismissed the video as slander and an attempt to destroy his political career. He also alluded that it was an inside job. 

Police arrested several individuals, including Haziq and an aide to Anwar, as part of an investigation over the circulation of obscene content. 

PKR members taking sides over the matter have widened the rift between Anwar and Azmin. 

Ezam quit PKR in 2007 after a falling out with Anwar and Azmin, which included a public spat with Azmin.

When his departure from PKR was made public, Ezam had called Anwar "weak" and accused Azmin of controlling the PKR de facto leader.

Ezam rejoined Umno in 2008 but left the party again last year over the 1MDB matter.

He is now in the midst of setting up a new anti-corruption party after his bid to rebrand an existing party failed. - Mkini