Azmin given nod to open wings’ congresses

Decision made at special political bureau meeting

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR will keep to its tradition in having its deputy president officiate the annual congresses for the Women and Youth wings, after Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali was given the nod by the party yesterday.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said the decision was made at a special political bureau meeting in Parliament which was attended by leaders from both president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Azmin’s factions.

“We discussed, among other things, our preparation for the national congress and I would like to say here that both the Youth and

Women wings will be officiated by Azmin tomorrow (Dec 5) night,” Fahmi said.

“The Deputy Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail), meanwhile, will close both wings on Friday,” he told reporters after the meeting yesterday.

Conventionally, whoever holds the PKR deputy president post would officiate both the wing’s annual congresses simultaneously, but this tradition seemed to have been broken this year after the party withdrew its invitation to Azmin to officiate the Youth congress last month.

This honour was instead passed to Wan Azizah, with Azmin being given the responsibility to open only the Women’s wing, after a falling out between the latter and Anwar.

However, following yesterday’s meeting, which was the first party meeting attended by Azmin since he was re-elected as deputy president in November last year, the party has now decided to stick to the tradition.

Fahmi also denied speculations that there would be a parallel congress, attended by members of Azmin’s camp, taking place during the same period as the official assembly.

“There’s only one congress. Azmin himself has reiterated this, and I myself have remained consistent that there’s only one congress.”

Azmin had earlier meet Anwar to discuss the party’s position and its preparation for its national congress, which is set to take place from today to Sunday in Malacca.

He also announced that he would be attending the national congress, putting to bed any rumours that he might skip the annual assembly.

The Economic Affairs Minister arrived at yesterday’s meeting accompanied by several central leadership council (MPP) members who are allied to him, including vice-presidents Zuraida Kamaruddin and Tian Chua, and MPP members Sivarasa Rasiah, Amirudin Shari and Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.