The Malaysian Insight

DESPITE the bad blood among PKR members in the run-up to the party polls, Azmin Ali is confident the party will remain united.

The PKR deputy president said he has confidence in the maturity of members to put the past behind and follow the leadership of incoming president Anwar Ibrahim.

“I am confident in the maturity of party members. As soon as the elections are done, the party will become stronger under Anwar and the new leadership.

“I always believe in the wisdom of my party members. They will certainly have a choice to decide on the future of the party,” Azmin told reporters after the opening of Perak PKR’s general assembly in Ipoh.

The PKR polls are pitting PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli against Azmin for the deputy president’s post.

Rafizi’s team has been saying in their roadshows that they can revive PKR’s spirit of “reformasi” and ensure Anwar becomes the next prime minister.

Azmin said that instead of attacking one another, the party’s leaders should show the best version of PKR to convince not only its members, but all Malaysians.

“I urge party members and leaders to come forward as one united, formidable force. I hope we will emerge stronger after the party elections,” he said.

The Gombak MP also said that Rafizi’s challenge against him was evidence that democracy in PKR was still strong. 

“This is a democracy in PKR. We accept it well. People will decide. We need to respect democracy,” Azmin said. 

He said PKR now needed to take a different direction as it was a mature party, not like in its formative years.

“This is a different approach compared with before. We will focus on a new direction. We are a mature party,” Azmin said. 

He also warned that if PKR, the biggest party in the Pakatan Harapan coalition, failed to deliver expectations, the people would vote it out. 

“If we fail, the people will punish us in the next elections,” added Azmin. – August 26, 2018.