'Azmin not immune to action for absenteeism but has provided reasons'

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said today that his deputy Mohamed Azmin Ali is not immune from disciplinary action, but added that the latter has explained his absence from PKR meetings.

Anwar said, however, that it is still up to the PKR disciplinary board to verify these reasons.

"For now, there is no action against him. He is not immune to action but he has always given reasons for not attending meetings.

"There is indeed a rule that if someone does not attend party meetings for three consecutive times, they would lose their position.

"Sometimes people try to provide reasons, so the disciplinary board needs to see if it is true or not," he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Terengganu, Anwar reiterated that PKR leaders should attend party meetings.

"Tomorrow we have a leadership meeting, monthly meeting and in another week the political bureau meeting. So all leaders are asked to attend," he said.

Azmin and his allies were absent from the PKR central leadership council meeting today. 

Leaders aligned to Azmin have been absent from PKR meetings chaired by Anwar amid a rift between the two.

Anwar previously insisted that his party is not suffering from a factional fight.