‘Azmin won’t be sacked, reconciliation possible’
PKR deputy president’s position safe for now, says Anwar
MALACCA: Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s position in PKR is safe for now, according to its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who said the party would not take dismissal action against his number two.
He said while there have been numerous calls for stern action to be taken against the deputy president during the party’s congress, these only came from delegates and not the top leadership.
“This matter does not arise. It was voiced by the delegates here, but none of the leaders have agreed so far,” he told a press conference after the party’s annual congress in Ayer Keroh yesterday.
Asked if this meant he would forgive Azmin for whatever had happened in the past, Anwar said: “I am a forgiving person, but this is not a personal matter. We have to also listen to the sentiments of party members.”
During the debate on Friday and Saturday, several delegates had urged that Azmin and those aligned to him be sacked for supposedly betraying the party and its president.
This came following a falling out between the top two leaders in recent months.
Anwar said while sacking them was out of the question, he would take a tougher approach in dealing with indiscipline in the party from now on.
The Port Dickson MP also played down the decision by Azmin and those from his faction to skip yesterday’s closing ceremony of the congress, saying some of them had attended the assembly.
Asked if a reconciliation was still possible between him and Azmin, Anwar cited former United States president John F. Kennedy: “We should never fear to negotiate and we should never negotiate out of fear.
“The conciliation must be open as a process. And I’ve also been very conciliatory in my speech,” he added.
On whether he would accept Azmin’s invitation to attend a “Shared Prosperity Vision” dinner attended by those from Azmin’s faction later yesterday, Anwar said he already had a weekly religious programme at his house.
“However, there are many other spaces (for reconciliation),” he said.
Asked if the heated congress was a result of open democracy practised by PKR, Anwar said this was to be expected in any democratic system and that he respected it.
“We choose to respect democracy, so whatever happens as a result, we have to accept. I advised the debaters to tone down on the speeches, but (being openly democratic), we give them space,” Anwar said, adding that delegates must be given space to express themselves unless they crossed the line.
Meanwhile, Azmin in a series of tweets on Twitter indicated that he and his supporters would not leave the party.
About an hour after Anwar’s concluding address, Azmin tweeted that Anwar remains his president and that he will negotiate and talk to him, and will continue to do so.
“This is our party, we will not leave Keadilan,” he tweeted next.