‘Parallel congress’ attendees face the sack

PKR will not tolerate any individual who ruins party unity, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR leaders and members who attend a “parallel party congress” rumoured to be held simultaneously with the party’s official assembly in Malacca this weekend will be sacked.

Party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim warned that PKR would not compromise with any individual who attempts to ruin the harmony and unity of the party, saying any such sabotage would be deemed as a major offence.

“I would like to remind that if party members want to meet up, that is permitted. But if there are any attempts to sabotage the national congress, stern action will be taken against the perpetrators,” he told a press conference in Parliament yesterday.

“As of today, I don’t think there will be any other (congress than the official one). There may be some speculation but I hope it’s not true. But if the (parallel congress) does take place, any leader who attends will be fired.”

There has been speculation that an assembly would be held in Kuala Lumpur this weekend at the same time as the national congress. The assembly is supposedly organised by those aligned to PKR number two Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

This comes amid a falling out between Anwar and Azmin in recent months that has seen the pair, and their allies, trade barbs through the media.

Azmin, however, had been tasked to officiate the party’s Youth and Women’s wings congress in Malacca scheduled for Thursday night, after an agreement between him and Anwar at a special party political bureau meeting on Wednesday.

Asked to comment on the meeting, Anwar said it was only an ordinary one where Azmin had shared his opinion on several matters concerning the party.

“We also felt that it was only right the Youth and Women delegates get to listen to all their leaders speak. Our focus is to strengthen the party and address issues concerning the rakyat. And this has been jointly agreed.”

Anwar added a total of 83% of the party delegates had registered for the congress.

Meanwhile, PKR communications director Fahmi Fazil has rubbished any claims of multiple factions existing within PKR and that this was merely made up by the media.

“It’s only a perception, but it is clear that in reality, there is no existence of camps. What we have is a PKR party that remains strong and united,” he said.