Stop making statements on PKR rift, people are bored - Anwar

The people are bored with the public exchange of salvos between PKR leaders and members, according to Anwar Ibrahim.

Short of calling it a gag order, the PKR president said all quarters must desist from making such statements.

He urged them to use the party channels, especially the disciplinary board, to vent their grouses instead.

“Stop all statements on the internal conflict with immediate effect.

“PKR must remain committed to fighting corruption and abuse of power, to champion the welfare of the people of all races especially the poor and those marginalised from development.

“The people who placed their trust in us are bored with the statements referring to internal politicking,” he said in a statement this evening.

Anwar said PKR leaders and members must increase their efforts and work harder in the interest of the people and nation.

PKR has been rocked by infighting between the factions aligned to Anwar and his estranged deputy Azmin Ali.

The simmering tension came to a boil during the party's national congress over the weekend which was marred by incidents of violence and walkouts.

Over the past two days, there have been calls for PKR to act against vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin, a staunch Azmin supporter, over her remarks during a dinner event at the Renaissance Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

This afternoon, a group of reformasi veterans (above) known as "Otai Reformis 1998" urged PKR to pressure Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to drop Zuraida, who is the housing and local government minister, from the cabinet.

The group also wanted action to be taken against six PKR leaders for leaving the national congress over the weekend without valid reasons.

The six are Azmin, vice-president Tian Chua, Youth deputy chief Hilman Idham, Selangor chief (and menteri besar) Amirudin Shari, Wanita chief Haniza Talha, and Permatang Pauh division deputy chairperson Dr Afif Bahardin.

Yesterday, PKR information chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin also urged the disciplinary board to take action against Zuraida.

During the dinner in Kuala Lumpur, Zuraida had claimed Anwar was influenced by party communications director Fahmi Fadzil and Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.

Apart from this, she also claimed Anwar told her that the police had confirmed that it was Azmin in a sex video — the scandal that made headlines in June.

She also alleged Anwar informed her that Mahathir had asked him as the PKR president to sack Azmin.