Azmin wants unity in PKR, ready to reconcile with Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Pledging loyalty to the party, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali says he is ready to reconcile with his president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Azmin urged all members and leaders to band together to unite the party after the past year had seen PKR being marred by conflicts between the two warring factions.

"I'm ready (to reconcile). The experience that we went through for the past year was very bitter, it was a very painful experience for all of us.

"I would like to encourage all members and leaders to come forward to unite the party.

"If there is an effort (to reconcile) then I'm ready," he told reporters after speaking at the Shared Prosperity Vision (SPV) 2030 dinner at a hotel here on Sunday (Dec 8).

On the rumour mill churning with whispers that he was going to form a new party, Azmin shot this down, saying that he will remain loyal to PKR under Anwar's leadership.

"There's no new party. The people built PKR for 20 years and we will continue within this party.

"It's just that when there are issues, we must discuss and look for a solution together.

"I'm asking everyone to put the past problems aside and let's move forward under the leadership of our current president," he said.

On the fiery speech that he gave at the dinner earlier where he lambasted a leader for calling him a traitor and for not being able to accept criticism, Azmin assured that there was no bad intention on his end.

"I didn't launch any personal attacks, I explained to the members that when the president faced allegations, I quickly came out with a firm statement to defend him.

"For the past 20 years, I have defended my president and remained loyal, it's just I don't want him to be influenced by people who don't understand the matter of reforms," he said.

Earlier in his speech, Azmin delivered a fiery speech, saying that PKR was not built by one leader or one family, but that it was built by the common people.

Azmin also said that it was ironic that he had been branded a traitor when he had fought on the party path for two decades, even going to jail and enduring abuse for its cause.

He added that he had always defended Anwar whenever the latter faced allegations such as the recent claim by an individual who said Anwar had attempted to sexually assault him.

"But when I was slandered six months ago, (he said) resign; so easily asking me to resign," said Azmin in his speech earlier. - Star