In her absence, Zuraida's supporters, detractors face-off at PKR HQ

As they were waiting for the arrival of PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamarudin, two groups faced off outside the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya this morning.

One side, mostly clad in party colours, said they were present to show support for Zuraida, whose position they claimed to be under siege.

The group of over 50 people said they represented grassroots leaders and members largely from Zuraida's Ampang division.

The other side, mostly in plain clothes, carried a banner that called on the party's leaders - scheduled to meet today for the monthly Central Leadership Council meeting - to sack Zuraida.

Police are on standby as their taunts grew heated.

Zuraida's supporters claimed her opponents today were unknown to the party.

The Ampang MP's detractors, meanwhile, insisted they were party loyalists and claimed that she had insulted the party with her public salvos against PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

She had previously been absent from party meetings in the past one year, until the last political bureau meeting on Jan 8.

Zuraida is absent from today's meeting as she is with Harapan leaders in Kimanis, Sabah, for the parliament seat by-election today.

At around 11am, PKR Selangor’s former deputy information chief K Gunasekaran (below) addressed Zuraida's supporters, urging them to remain on site until the end of today's meeting.

He insisted they must send a clear message to the party's leadership that Zuraida must be retained in her elected position.

"We are the grassroots leaders who voted in the 2018 party elections for Zuraida Kamaruddin as vice-president.

"She was voted in and she got second place (in the number of votes)," said Gunasekaran, who repeated claims that Zuraida's detractors today were "outsiders" mobilised to meddle in PKR's internal affairs.

The opposing group jeered in response, and shortly after, another scuffle nearly broke out among them.

Several top PKR leaders were seen addressing the groups.

PKR vice-president Chang Lih Kang urged for calm among Zuraida's supporters, while Kedah PKR chief Johari Abdul similarly called on her detractors to cease their taunts.

Chang (above) later told reporters that today's meeting was just an ordinarily monthly affair and the anticipated decision on Zuraida's fate was not on the agenda for discussion.

"I also don't know why they are gathered here today," he said in brief before rejoining the meeting chaired by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim. - Mkini