The Malaysian Insight

PKR leaders of various ranks agree that action should be taken against Mohamed Azmin Ali for failing to take his duties as deputy president seriously.

“Disappointing” was how they described his failure to attend central leadership committee (MPP) meetings, and urged the party leadership to enforce provisions that allow action to be taken against him.

Leaders spoken to were either not aligned to any camp in PKR or said they were with the “reformist” group. But they did not want to be identified, citing the sensitivity of the issue as PKR struggles to stay united over the fallout of a sex video scandal that has implicated Azmin.

A PKR veteran said the party constitution stipulates that any MPP member who misses three consecutive meetings is deemed to have resigned. 

The MPP has every right to enforce this, he said, as stipulated in clause 21.16 of PKR’s constitution.

He said it was disappointing that Azmin, as the party’s No. 2, had not attended MPP meetings since being elected deputy president last year. Such behaviour did not befit a leader holding his post, the PKR veteran said.

“It is abnormal for a party leader of his status to miss party meetings. His reasons given do not make sense; priority should also be given to the party.

“Under the constitution, action can already be taken. It should have been taken long ago.”

However, the veteran leader believed party president Anwar Ibrahim would not act against his deputy to avoid further internal discord.

“I’ve known the president for many years. He has compassion and he will not want the party to break up.”

A PKR assemblyman, meanwhile, said the leadership should act sternly and without fear or favour.

“It is clear that if you fail to attend MPP meetings, action can be taken against you. So, the party must be more serious. If it were ordinary members involved, they would have been given warnings already.

“As a party that places importance on justice, we have to show it in our actions,” said the assemblyman.

A PKR Youth leader also described Azmin’s behaviour as “uncommitted”.

“He could be sacked, and if he has dignity, he should leave the party first.

“He is not performing his duties. He is a minister because of his position firstly, as party deputy president,” the Youth leader said.

Azmin’s zero-attendance record at MPP meetings this year was recently confirmed by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.

He was again absent at its latest meeting last Sunday, when all MPP members were issued reminders to attend such meetings regularly.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil had said after Sunday’s meeting that Azmin had not turned up, despite early notice and reminders issued by the secretary-general.

Azmin, who is also economic affairs minister and Gombak MP, rebuffed his party colleagues, saying he attends party programmes only if he does not have prior ministry-related duties.

“That is the normal process; why target me?” he added.

However, Azmin must realise that he is a minister because of his senior position in PKR, said Perak party chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, who is also Anwar’s political secretary.

“We had eight MPP meetings after the election – he did not even attend one. This is disrespectful.

““He has to remember, he became a minister because of the mandate given by the party. If he doesn’t show up, how can we discuss things and make decisions?” Farhash told The Malaysian Insight.

Farhash was arrested and remanded recently as part of police investigations into the release of the sex clips.

Azmin has denied his involvement in the videos and called it a plot to destroy his career and character.

This morning, a group of reformists within PKR, represented by Zulkefly Othman, said it was time that Azmin be sacked.

The group said Azmin had failed to clear his name over the sex video allegations by taking stronger actions and that, in failing to do so, had also tarnished the party’s image. – July 30, 2019.