No action against Azmin despite missing PKR meetings, says Anwar

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim says, save for a few struggles for power, the reality on the ground was different when compared to media reports, adding that he could not detect much of a problem in the party as a whole.

PETALING JAYA: PKR president Anwar Ibrahim says his deputy, Mohamed Azmin Ali, will not be terminated from his position despite missing the party’s Central Leadership Council (MPP) meetings three times in a row.

The party’s constitution states that MPP members can be stripped of their position if they fail to attend its meetings three times consecutively.

“We are taking a moderate and lenient approach to give our friend room to think.

“That’s why we are not making use of that provision yet,” Anwar told reporters after speaking at PKR’s Kedah and Perlis convention today.

When asked how long it would take before action is taken against his deputy, Anwar said that was up to the MPP, adding that he will listen to the various opinions.

He also said he had asked for action against Azmin to be deferred after this matter was brought up before this.

Anwar said, save for “a few struggles for power”, the reality on the ground was different when compared to media reports, adding that he could not detect much of a problem in the party as a whole.

He said he welcomed any party members with grouses to meet him.

However, he warned that he will not hold meetings with groups which want to legitimise their own “gang”.

Addressing claims that he was unwilling to meet certain people, Anwar said this was untrue as he had regular appointments and walk-in meetings with people at his office in Parliament and at Jalan Gasing.

“So to say that they cannot meet me is not true. What more if they are a minister or deputy minister. I have never rejected such meetings.”

Anwar reiterated that the party regularly held political bureau and MPP meetings, adding that he only called for such meetings and not with specific groups.

“There are no meetings with just the gang of Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, for example, or meetings with any cartel. Those, I do not acknowledge.

“If you want to meet, please do so. If you want to meet to legitimise your gang, that’s not the president’s work.

“You’ll have to wait to choose another president, if you dare,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Yesterday, Anwar had criticised Azmin following the controversy regarding the PKR National Youth Congress to be held on Dec 6.

Azmin had previously alleged that there were “hidden hands” (“tangan ghaib”) in PKR Youth leader Akmal Nasir’s move to cancel an invite for him (Azmin) to officiate the youth congress. It will now to be officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

This led to Sarawak PKR cancelling its state-level convention on Nov 23, saying the party’s national-level leadership must first put its house in order in the wake of the infighting over who should officiate the youth congress.

However, PKR’s top leadership overruled the Sarawak chapter’s decision, with MPP member Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad saying the convention would go ahead following a meeting with state leaders yesterday.

Anwar said none of the Sarawak PKR leaders, who had released a statement on its cancellation yesterday, had raised any objections during a party meeting held last week. - FNT