Akmal returns fire, cites Azmin's absenteeism, recalcitrance

PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir says the party's No 2 Azmin Ali is the real "hidden hand" destroying the party.

In a statement today, Akmal (photo) cited Azmin's failure to attend any of the party's leadership council or political bureau meetings over the past year as a reason.

"Instead, he often issues statements which violated party discipline and the Pakatan Harapan spirit. These acts are the real tangan ghaib (hidden hand) that is destroying PKR," said Akmal.

"If he thinks a leader can be powerful by shunning party meetings and not observing party discipline, that leader no longer possesses the characteristics of a PKR leader," he added. 

Akmal was responding to Azmin's claim today that there was a "hidden hand" trying to stop him from officiating the PKR Youth annual delegates congress next month.

Conventionally, PKR's deputy president would officiate the annual delegates' congress for PKR's Youth and Women wings.

Akmal said Azmin's statement today proved that the PKR Youth leadership council made the right decision to invite Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

"Although I've tried my best to manage this issue by keeping discussions within the party, it is clear that he (Azmin) does not respect the party or its struggles," said Akmal.

He said the PKR Youth leadership had issued an invitation to Azmin on Sept 11, but there was no reply over the next six weeks.

Meanwhile, Azmin's political secretary Hilman Idham told Malaysiakini the claims that his boss failed to respond to the congress invitation was a lie.

"If Azmin did not respond to the invitation, why did they issue a letter to rescind the invitation? It shows they are lying," said Hilman.

Asked to comment about a joint-statement by 13 state PKR Youth chiefs supporting the rescinding of the invitation, Hilman said they had no legitimacy.

"They were all appointed by Akmal. They are afraid of being sacked so they support Akmal," he said. 

"Imagine, some of them lost at the division elections, yet they are made state Youth chiefs. A minority trying to dictate a majority. Even if they were 1,000 of them, they don't represent the hundreds of thousands who voted for the leadership," he added.

Hilman said the party would fray and democracy silenced if this continued in PKR.