PKR members who attend an alternative congress this weekend will be sacked from the party, said Anwar Ibrahim.
The party president was referring to talks of a parallel congress being held in Kuala Lumpur while the annual congress takes place in Malacca.
The alternative congress is supposedly planned by those who feel slighted by the party’s recent decisions on several issues.
Anwar said members who sabotage the party’s annual congress are committing a major offence.
“I am reminding these people that if there are attempts to derail the party’s unity, we will take severe action against them, including sacking them,” the Port Dickson MP told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
Anwar said he heard about the alternate congress but it is certain only a small number would attend it.
“So far we have not heard of anything big on that. Maybe only an attempt by a small group, maybe about 10%.
“But I want to stress that so far about 83% of delegates have said they would be attending the official congress in Malacca.
“I am grateful because the negative perception about the congress is now behind us…”
Yesterday Sarawak PKR deputy chairman Baharuddin Mokshen told The Malaysian Insight that the “Kembali ke landasan reformasi” (Return to the roots of reform) congress will go ahead as scheduled.
The alternative congress, to be held on the same dates as the official event this weekend, would take place at the Renaissance Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
Another source in Sarawak had earlier told The Malaysian Insight the majority of the state’s party leaders and delegates invited to the national congress are instead heading to the one in Kuala Lumpur as reconciliation was “near impossible”.
The alternative congress is said to be aligned to supporters of PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, who was earlier spurned by the PKR youth wing to officiate its convention.
Yesterday, Anwar met his estranged deputy Azmin Ali and 11 central leadership council (MPP) members at a “special” political bureau meeting.
During the meeting, it was agreed that PKR Youth’s decision to disinvite Azmin to the opening of the wing’s congress would be reversed. Azmin is now slated to officiate both the Youth and Wanita wing congresses tonight.
This is considered a major concession on the part of Anwar’s camp, which had been tolerating Azmin’s absenteeism from fortnightly political bureau meetings and monthly MPP meetings.
On the “special” political bureau meeting which Azmin attended last night, Anwar said it was held at the request of his deputy and a few others.
He also thanked them for attending the meeting and helping to “dial down the temperature” of media reports regarding party affairs.
“I agreed to meet them at a special political bureau meeting. To me, the platform for discussing congress preparations is our scheduled political bureau meetings.
“There were several adjustments in terms of the officiations (involving the wings). Other matters are at status quo.
“Azmin will officiate (the congress of the wings) while (party advisor Dr Wan) Azizah (Wan Ismail) will close the events,” he said.
Anwar said during the “special” political bureau meeting, participants had resolved that the congress was the best platform for party delegates to exchanges views with party leaders.
He also affirmed that meeting participants were committed to strengthening the party and focussing on the “people’s agenda”.
“There are a lot of complaints from the people, and we need to address that, not political manoeuvrings. This seems to be agreed by (everyone) at the meeting.
“Our party will be the forum for us to articulate issues faced by the public,” he said.