Decided: Azmin to officiate Women's congress, Wan Azizah for Youth wing

PKR has decided that deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali will officiate its forthcoming Women’s wing congress while former president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will open its Youth wing’s congress.

This was announced by party communications chief Fahmi Fadzil at a press conference in PKR’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya this morning.

“For now, I have been informed by the secretariat that the Women’s congress will be officiated by the deputy president (Azmin) while the Youth congress will be officiated by the deputy prime minister (Wan Azizah), as previously announced,” he said when asked.

Fahmi added that Azmin has yet to confirm his attendance.

‘I have yet to receive information on whether he will attend or not,” he said.

Azmin's aide later told Malaysiakini that the deputy president will be attending and officiating the Wanita PKR congress

PKR has been embroiled in public factional friction in recent weeks over who should officiate the annual meetings of its wings.

Azmin’s supporters have maintained that he ought to officiate both wings as per tradition.

This came after PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasir (above) rescinded Azmin’s invitation and instead asked Wan Azizah, as the party’s highest-ranking government official, to open its congress.

Held in Malacca this year, next week’s congress will mark the party’s 20th anniversary, with the Women’s congress slated to start on Dec 5 while its Youth congress will begin the next day.

The national congress will begin on Dec 7.

Asked about a possible parallel party congress following factional fighting, Fahmi dismissed the rumour.

"To organise a party congress is an onerous effort. It eats up massive resources and this is not something to be taken lightly [...]," he said.

Youth sackings won’t affect PKR

Asked about concerns that party could risk deregistration after two recent PKR Youth sackings, Fahmi explained that matters arising in its wings do not implicate PKR.

This was because only the main party was registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

“This is not an issue because the (sacking of the) permanent chairperson and permanent deputy chairperson is under the jurisdiction of PKR Youth’s rules. This does not involve the main party or party branches [...]

“In fact, only PKR and its branches are registered with the ROS, not the wings. PKR Youth and Wanita PKR are not registered with the ROS,” he said.

Yesterday, PKR youth stripped Mizan Adli Mohd Noor and Mohd Ramly Ahmad of their positions as permanent chairperson and permanent deputy chairperson on grounds that there were doubts about their elections last year.

The permanent chairperson and the deputy chair the wing’s annual congress.

Fahmi said electing new members to these positions would be the first order of business in the PKR Youth Congress next week.

PKR Youth lock horns over sackings

In light of the sackings, PKR Youth deputy chief Muhammad Hilman Idham (above) today defended Mizan and maintained that he was still the wing’s permanent chairperson.

“The party’s constitution and rules do not give the PKR Youth central leadership committee the power to strip the permanent chairperson and permanent deputy chairperson of their roles.

“This is because these roles are (decided) as part of the national congress,” he said in a statement.

Hilman urged the party to retract the letters issued to Mirzan and Ramly as he said the move violated both the party’s constitution and PKR Youth’s rules.

In response, PKR Youth secretary and the wing’s congress director Ahmad Syukri Che Ab Razab upheld the validity of the sackings on the basis that the duo was above 35 and thus overaged when elected last year.

“During the party polls on Nov 16, 2018, Mizan had already turned 35 while Ramly was 38 years old,” he said in a statement.

He also contended that the wing had the power to remove them as only those under 35 could be members of PKR Youth, and only members could hold positions. - Mkini