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You broke ceasefire promise, Azmin tells Anwar

PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali speaks during a news conference at AMES Hotel in Melaka December 7, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali speaks during a news conference at AMES Hotel in Melaka December 7, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

AYER KEROH, Dec 7 — PKR Deputy President Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has accused his president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of breaking their ceasefire agreement.

In a press conference today, Azmin said that his faction of loyalists and Anwar’s that initially agreed not to attack one another in the ongoing party congress.

Azmin claimed Anwar failed to do so during the PKR Youth Congress and during this morning’s policy speech.

“He starts mentioning about Si Kitol and Raja Mandeliar, and this has opened the path for the debaters to attack (me) personally and break the unity of the leadership and members of Keadilan (PKR).

“The debaters for policy speech was also one-sided and left out the grassroots voices... The speeches only brought up one man’s dream and brings down other leaders,” Azmin said.

“These showed how the president failed to keep his promise to ensure the state debaters adhered to the speech perimeters agreed upon by both sides,” he said at Ames Hotel lobby here.

Azmin and his faction walked out from the congress in MITC earlier in the afternoon.

Revealing all the agreements, Azmin said that the matters agreed during the meeting are that the deputy president opening the Youth and Wanita congress; all speeches to focus on policy issues and strengthening the party.

It was also agreed that the composition of speakers to represent all views within PKR, with the guarantee of furthering the party’s agenda and that the speakers are not allowed to mock or attack any individuals or groups.

Azmin said following today’s incident, it was not reasonable for him and other leaders to remain at the congress and listen to provocative speeches.

But Azmin denied that he will leave the party along with the leaders present with him at the hotel.

He pointed out that they were the ones who had built PKR from the start.

He also shot down rumours he and his supporters would form a breakaway party.

“No, we are not involved. We are party members, we loved the party. We will never leave the party!” he exclaimed before the leaders around him shouted “Reformasi!”.

Azmin said he was disappointed for being sidelined, especially during the 20th anniversary of the party.

“This is our party; this is the party we built for 20 years. We’ve faced many crises in the past. We are confident this crisis too, can be overcome.

“If we are the traitor, we didn’t go to that extent. We love the party, we built the party in hard circumstance. That is very unfair to many party leaders who has built the party for years and then suddenly, when we wanted to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we become traitors.

“Because of these traitors, the party is now 20 years old,” he said.

Also present at today’s press conference were PKR vice-presidents Zuraida Kamaruddin, Tian Chua and Ali Biju, Pakatan Harapan Chief Secretary Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, Wanita chief Haniza Talha and her deputy, Dr Daroyah Alwi, and Youth deputy chief Hilman Idham as well as 19 other Central Leadership Leaders and their followers.

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