PKR Youth vice-chief calls for Hilman to be sacked, then softens stance

PKR Youth vice-chief Thiban Subbramaniam wants action to be taken against the wing’s deputy chief Hilman Idham.

This came after Hilman (photo, above) last night insisted that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali officiates the Youth wing's congress, despite an invitation to the latter being rescinded.

In an immediate response last night, Thiban called for the PKR Youth deputy chief to be expelled from the party.

"I strongly suggest the PKR central leadership council takes stern action by sacking Hilman from the party," Thiban said in a statement late last night.

The Malay Mail has also reported similar remarks from the same statement.

However, PKR Youth this morning sent out another statement from Thiban, this time replacing the word "sack" in the heading with "disciplinary action".

The last line of the statement had also been revised to drop the earlier call for Hilman's membership to be stripped.

The call for action is on grounds that the PKR Youth deputy chief had broken the wing's rules by calling for someone else to officiate its congress without approval from the wing's leadership.

'Hilman did not attend PKR Youth's monthly meetings'

Thiban said calling for a separate meeting without leadership approval was also excessive and irresponsible, especially since Hilman did not attend PKR Youth's monthly meetings.

Further, he said, making the party quarrel in the media has defiled PKR's reputation.

The dispute with Hilman is a manifestation of the larger enmity between Azmin and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasir has invited PKR advisor Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to officiate the congress, instead of Azmin.

The invitation sent to Azmin to do so earlier was later rescinded. This move was opposed in a statement signed by 21 out of 25 elected members of the PKR Youth central committee, including Hilman.

They argued that traditionally, the deputy president would officiate the annual congress for the Youth and Women's wings.

Last night, Hilman held a meeting with division Youth wing chiefs in Shah Alam, where he gained the backing of 132 out of 196 divisional youth chiefs for Azmin to officiate the PKR Youth congress.