Majority gave official notification for no-show at retreat, says PKR sec-gen

PORT DICKSON: PKR displayed a united front despite the absence of party deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic) said he spoke to Azmin personally during last Friday's Cabinet meeting to invite him to the party's retreat.

"However, he has some other commitment and I have to respect that," Saifuddin told reporters at the conclusion of the party's retreat here Sunday (July 21).

It was reported that the Economic Affairs Minister did not show up to deliver his speech at the PKR retreat here on Saturday (July 20) night.

Also absent were vice-presidents Zuraida Kamaruddin and Ali Biju.

Zuraida had earlier said she could not attend as she had official engagements to keep.

Saifuddin added that majority of those who could not attend had written him official letters explaining their reasons.

"Majority of them had given me their reasons," said Saifuddin.

The retreat also concluded with a resolution to fully support Anwar as the party president, to lead and direct PKR as the main party within Pakatan Harapan, in line with the party's constitution.

Some 120 out of 140 PKR elected representatives, comprising the party's central leadership, lawmakers, senators and state assemblymen, have signed the resolution.

The resolution noted that the retreat had discussed in an open and transparent manner to achieve the resolution.

"The programme is a platform for leadership to reflect, return to the original idealism of its struggle, strengthen discipline and party unity, review its track record of its services since Pakatan took over

the Federal Government, as well as how Pakatan can move forward," noted the resolution.

Saifuddin said the party will forward the resolution to the remaining 20 people who were absent for them to review and sign if they want to.- Star