The Malaysian Insight

ECONOMIC Affairs Minister and PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali will not be giving a speech at a party retreat in Port Dickson tonight and appears to be avoiding his fellow leaders.

Azmin’s political secretary Hilman Idham was tight-lipped about his boss’s whereabouts, with a terse “not attending” the sole reply to enquiries from The Malaysian Insight.

Azmin and party president Anwar Ibrahim had an exchange of words after Anwar suggested Azmin quit the government if it was proven that Azmin was indeed in the sex video in which he has been implicated.

Azmin has always denied any involvement and hit back at Anwar, suggesting the PKR leader reflect on his own track record.

“Look at the man in the mirror,” the PKR No. 2 told reporters in the Parliament lobby earlier this week.

“Read my lips, tell him to look in the mirror.

“Ask Anwar to ‘muhasabah diri’ (carry out self-introspection) and reflect on himself.”

Last month, several clips showing two men engaging in sexual acts together were released via WhatsApp.

Former PKR political aide Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz subsequently admitted to being one of the men in the videos, naming Azmin as the other.

The subsequent fall-out from the scandal and police investigation has produced nine arrests, including Haziq and notably Anwar’s political secretary, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.

Azmin was slated to speak at 9pm tonight after the party’s vice presidents had finished their turns addressing the party members.

However, vice presidents Zuraida Kamaruddin and Ali Biju – both staunch Azmin allies – did not attend.

Zuraida said she could not attend because she had to be present at the World Firefighters Day celebration in Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysian Insight learnt Saratok MP Ali was absent because he was attending to his sick mother.

Meanwhile, Wanita PKR chief Haniza Talha said she too could not attend because she had an event in her Lembah Jaya state constituency.

In Port Dickson, Nurul Izzah Anwar, who had said she had quit as a party vice president, was still listed as such on the official programme and was present to speak to the party members.

Other vice presidents who spoke included Chua Tian Chang, Dr Xavier Kumar, Rafizi Ramli, and Chang Lih Kang. – July 20, 2019.