Who started pledges of allegiance? PKR rep asks Zuraida, Tian Chua

PKR's Hulu Kinta assemblyperson Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad has shot back at concerns raised by party vice presidents, Tian Chua and Zuraida Kamaruddin, over the pledge of allegiance being made by divisional chiefs amid a tiff between party president Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy Azmin Ali.

"It is strange that there are people asking for the pledges of allegiance to stop when it is they who started it.

"Do they remember the statement they issued in support of Azmin on July 17? So who started it first?" he told Malaysiakini.

Tian Chua and Zuraida were among the 27 signatories expressing support for Azmin and calling for Anwar not to divide the party after the latter suggested Azmin should resign if a sex video implicating the PKR deputy president was proven to be true. 

Subsequently, division chiefs in several states issued statements pledging support for Anwar.

Yesterday, Tian Chua expressed concern that the overzealous display of support for feuding leaders was undermining the party's unity. 

Zuraida, who is also the housing and local government minister and Ampang MP, had also suggested that grassroots may have been intimidated into pledging their support but PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said the matter "did not arise". 

Muhamad Arafat (above), who is the Tambun PKR chief, said pledges of loyalty to the party president was not a cause for concern.

"My advice to Zuraida and Tian Chua is not to panic. Supporting the president is normal.

"The pledge of support from every state is a positive step to show the people that PKR stands with Anwar who will be the eighth prime minister," he said.

Muhamad Arafat also rubbished claims that the division leaders were being coerced into expressing their support.

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 have 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. - Mkini