PKR leaders aligned to party deputy president Azmin Ali have blamed Anwar Ibrahim for a ceasefire breach which led them to walk out of the PKR congress in Malacca today.
They said Anwar paved the way for delegates to "open fire" on them by speaking of traitors in his policy speech.
However, Anwar - who is PKR president - said he was talking about history and was unperturbed if anyone took offence.
After walking out from the PKR congress around 3 pm, Azmin camp supporters then gathered at the Ames Hotel in Ayer Keroh where they held a meeting and later issued a joint statement expressing their disappointment in Anwar and the president's supporters.
Azmin, who read out the statement, said during his meeting with Anwar on Dec 4, the two camps had reached a four-point agreement which included the pledge that there would be a fair composition of debaters at the congress and all were to refrain from attacking or hurting the feelings of any side.
Azmin said the PKR president had assured that all speakers would follow these parameters and guidelines.
However during the congress, several delegates took swipes at Azmin’s camp, prompting a walkout. The PKR deputy president said the trouble started with Anwar’s policy speech.
“The hope of delegates and observers for the president’s policy speech to focus on policies and a direction that was inclusive and progressive faltered.
“The president’s speech which started with the classical tale of Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar clearly opened the path for debaters to launch personal attacks and make allegations towards other leaders,” Azmin said.
Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar are historical characters who were blamed for betraying the Malacca sultanate to the Portuguese in 1511.
Azmin added that the selection of debaters was also clearly one-sided.
They further said the awards given out in conjunction with PKR’s 20th anniversary were also “provocative” and had denied the contributions of grassroots leaders.
Two Azmin-aligned leaders, Tian Chua and Mansor Othman, received the awards, compared to six from Anwar’s camp including former president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.
Azmin said it was clear that Anwar had failed to keep his promises.
In light of this, the Azmin camp said it was unreasonable for them to continue being part of the congress and continue to hear provocative statements.
Asked if they would boycott the congress tomorrow, Azmin replied: “We are not boycotting or walking out, but is it reasonable for us to sit there and listen to provocative attacks because this will cause tensions.”
He added that he was not issuing an ultimatum to Anwar.
“He is still my leader, my president. That is why I have to consult and talk to him, which I did and I will continue to do so, so there is no problem,” he said.
When met at the congress venue, Anwar told reporters that he had meant no offence with his speech about Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar.
“If they are offended, that is their problem. That is a historical fact from the Malay Annals (Sulalatus Salatin),” the PKR president said.
During his policy speech this morning, Anwar had retold the tale of how Si Kitol and Raja Mendaliar had conspired to accuse the Malaccan bendahara (grand vizier) Tun Ali of treason, leading him to be executed.
This triggered a series of events which then led to Malacca being conquered.
However, Anwar’s speech also called for the party to unite itself and not attack one another.
Separately, PKR convention director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the speeches by delegates critical of Azmin’s camp were a reaction to the fistfights at the Youth congress yesterday.
“Need to respect the democratic voice of debaters and delegates while we adhere to decorum. The ruckus yesterday was the final straw,” he told Malaysiakini.
The fighting at the PKR Youth congress was triggered when delegates and members aligned to Azmin, including sacked Youth wing chairperson Mizan Adli Mohd Noor, were barred from the Youth wing congress.
Earlier today, in an interview, Nik Nazmi had said that the team in charge of choosing the debaters included himself, Tian and Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin and was headed by PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil.
He said after yesterday’s chaos, the team decided to add a few more names to create more balance, “[...] ethnically, and to have a few more perspectives within the party”.
He said the speeches today also reflected some tensions within the party but would have balanced itself out in terms of being pro-Anwar or pro-Azmin.
However, by the time the Azmin camp walkout occurred, only two of the 10 speakers who had finished speaking were deemed to have been aligned to Azmin.
Many of the pro-Anwar speakers also took jabs at ‘traitors’.
The PKR congress continues tomorrow with closing remarks by the party leadership and is scheduled to start at 9 am, ending at 1 pm.
Azmin and party vice-presidents are scheduled to speak but with his vague reply today about attending tomorrow, it is unclear whether he or his camp's representatives will be present.
The Azmin faction is also scheduled to be at a dinner function in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, which starts at 5 pm. - Mkini
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