PKR Youth insists Azmin should officiate at congress

PKR deputy youth chief Hilman Idham insisted on maintaining the tradition of having the party deputy president officiate the wing’s congress, which falls on Dec 5.

Hilman (above) said he had garnered the backing of 132 out of 196 divisional youth chiefs for this initiative, during a meeting in Shah Alam tonight (Wednesday).

“Officiation of the AMK National Congress would continue in line with the traditions and conventions of the organisation, with a policy speech by PKR deputy president Azmin Ali on Dec 5 at MITC Malacca, together with the Women’s wing.

“All PKR members and delegates at the national, division, and branch levels would be mobilised to defend the traditions and conventions of PKR,” he told reporters outside Rumah Pemuda, Shah Alam, after a meeting that lasted over three hours.

Previously, PKR youth chief Akmal Nasir had invited PKR advisor Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail instead of Azmin to officiate at the wing’s congress.

An invitation had been sent to Azmin but was later rescinded. The move was opposed in a statement signed by 21 out of 25 elected members of the PKR Youth central committee, including Hilman.

The Gombak Setia assemblyperson said the decision is final and arrangements for the officiation had been agreed by PKR women’s chief Haniza Talha.

“Never before in the history of our opening ceremony that we are also doing our closing ceremony.

“So, we would continue with officiating the opening ceremony with the deputy president’s policy speech on Dec 5, together with the Women’s wing.

PKR Youth backs Dr M

Meanwhile, Hilman said PKR Youth also supports Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership.

This comes amid Pakatan Harapan leaders blaming Mahathir for the coalition’s poor showing at the Tanjung Piai by-election last Saturday.

“We are united in defending the federal government’s stability under Mahathir’s leadership from any attempt to disrupt his position as the seventh prime minister of Malaysia.

“This is a matter of mandate given by the people, and I have said that when the time comes for Mahathir to make a decision, we will accept it and will defend against any attempt to undermine the current government,” he said.

For the record, Harapan had named Mahathir as its pick for the premiership in the run-up to the 14th general election, with the understanding that he would hand over power to the then incarcerated PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir had initially said he would hold power for about two years, but he told later interviews that he could take up to three years. - Mkini