Azmin never said he wanted to be PM - Afif

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has never said he wanted to be prime minister as his focus has always been in fulfilling his duties, said a PKR leader.

Seberang Jaya assemblyperson Dr Afif Bahardin (photo, above) said, however, some members of the public and analysts feel that he could one day assume the post.

"Such views created insecurities among the party ranks, who played this issue up as it is always their dream to see the close and strong bond between Azmin and party president Anwar Ibrahim destroyed," Afif told Malaysiakini.

Afif said these detractors forget that PKR is strong because they have both Anwar and Azmin as top leaders.

"Anwar is strong because he has the loyalty of Azmin all this while, but there are those who want to proceed with their own personal agenda by using Anwar," added Afif, who is also a Penang executive councillor.

PKR is locked in factional disputes between Anwar's and Azmin's camps just as the former is at the cusp of becoming the country's eighth prime minister.

A sex video implicating Azmin which went viral on July 11 threatened to implode the party although the Economic Affairs Minister has denied any involvement in it.

Yesterday, Anwar's future as PM was put on the line again with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad claiming to have been met by several quarters, including the opposition, who urged him to serve a full term.

However, Mahathir promised to pass the baton to Anwar, saying he would leave the position unless a "gun is put on his head".

As the pressure on Anwar to be PM intensifies, Afif recalled that in the party, everyone is aware of Azmin’s work quality and how he encourages others to work hard to fulfil the party's reform agenda.

Azmin often told members to deliver the mandate given by the people during the elections since reformasi began in 1998, Afif claimed.

"When they cannot find any misuse or abuse of power by Azmin all this while, they resort to gutter politics, the very basis which we rejected when reformasi and PKR were launched in 1999," reminded the former party youth deputy chief.

"I strongly believe the majority of the rakyat today will focus on how the current political leaders are able to fulfil their duties and bring change to the people’s life," he added.

Afif said the time will come for Anwar to be PM, if Allah’s permits, and as a Muslim "we must believe that".

“The best thing to do for PKR now is to prepare the party to face challenges when it governs the country”, he added.

Afif said policymakers must be well versed in issues and start formulating policies that will bring greater good for the people.

"That should be the focus, reformasi is about the rakyat, not individuals," he said.

"The party should be helping the ministers in Mahathir's cabinet to work and also to implement good policies at federal and state levels.”

As a PKR and state policymaker, Afif said he would only rate the party's performance - of its ministers, MPs and assemblypersons - as " average".

He said this evaluation included himself.

As a party, PKR lacked coordination in term of putting forward the reform agenda that members have been fighting for since 1998, he explained.

"One of the reason is when factional sentiments override rational suggestions or approach, those appointed at the national level should coordinate and do their tasks," Afif said.

"Running a party is not one individual's job".

Afif urged PKR members to pressure the leadership to put all personal interests aside and think about the party's future.

He said unity and the strength of the party must be rebuild as it prepares itself for the future.

"Do not let the victory that we achieved last year turn into a curse for the party," Afif quipped. - Mkini