PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called for an end to his party’s infighting and urged those with grouses to channel their dissatisfactions through the right channels.
“The people have placed their trust in us, and they are clearly fed up with statements on the political chess game.
“We are mandated to improve and work for the people
“All these statements about internal disputes have to stop at once,” he said in a statement today.
The people are bored with the public exchange of salvos between PKR leaders and members, according to Anwar Ibrahim.
Short of calling it a gag order, the PKR president said all quarters must desist from the public exchange of salvos between PKR leaders and members.
“Stop all statements on the internal conflict with immediate effect.
“I would like to urge all party leaders and members to submit their views and disagreements by using the proper channels within the party, in particular, the Disciplinary Board.
“PKR must remain committed to fighting corruption and abuse of power, to champion the welfare of the people of all races especially the poor and those marginalised from development.”
Anwar said PKR leaders and members must increase their efforts and work harder in the interest of the people and nation.
PKR has been rocked by infighting between the factions aligned to Anwar and his estranged deputy Azmin Ali.
The simmering tension came to a boil during the party’s national congress over the weekend which was marred by incidents of violence and walkouts.
Over the past two days, there have been calls for PKR to act against vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin, a staunch Azmin supporter, over her remarks during a dinner event at the Renaissance Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
This afternoon, a group of reformasi veterans known as “Otai Reformis 1998” urged PKR to pressure Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to drop Zuraida, who is the housing and local government minister, from the cabinet.
The group also wanted action to be taken against six PKR leaders for leaving the national congress over the weekend without valid reasons.
The six are Azmin, vice-president Tian Chua, Youth deputy chief Hilman Idham, Selangor chief (and menteri besar) Amirudin Shari, Wanita chief Haniza Talha, and Permatang Pauh division deputy chairperson Dr Afif Bahardin.
Yesterday, PKR information chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin also urged the disciplinary board to take action against Zuraida.
During the dinner in Kuala Lumpur, Zuraida had claimed Anwar was influenced by party communications director Fahmi Fadzil and Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.
Apart from this, she also claimed Anwar told her that the police had confirmed that it was Azmin in a sex video – the scandal that made headlines in June.
She also alleged Anwar informed her that Mahathir had asked him as the PKR president to sack Azmin.