AYER KEROH (Melaka) - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar Ibrahim, grappling with a deep and bitter split in his party, has apologised for the violent scuffles that took place at its youth wing meeting on Friday (Dec 6) and said he should have been tougher on the perpetrators.

"I apologise to members and supporters and the public because what happened yesterday in the youth meeting is regrettable. I have ordered the party to take immediate action to sack whoever is responsible," Datuk Seri Anwar said in his speech at the opening ceremony of PKR's national congress on Saturday.

Amid a fractious power struggle between two camps, one led by Anwar and the other by his deputy Azmin Ali, Friday's youth wing meeting got off to a rocky start with fighting between members of the two factions. Two people were arrested.

"This party has gone through vicious problems, but stayed united and disciplined when we were poor and persecuted," Mr Anwar told some 3,500 party delegates, invited guests, and international observers as he recounted its 20-year history.

PKR leaders, however, began to display attitude problems after gaining positions following the party's victory at the general election.

"I admit my own weaknesses and will improve what I can. But I ask all of us... party discipline is a must. We can have networks but we cannot have factions that split the party," he said in his first speech at a party congress since winning the post of president uncontested at internal polls last year.

He compared Saturday's opening ceremony, which ran fairly smoothly, to the youth wing meet.

"Isn't it great compared to yesterday. The entire world's news was about the disturbance," he said.

Later, at a news conference after the speech, Mr Anwar issued a a thinly veiled threat, warning that he would take a harder stance against factionalism within the party.

"I am very conciliatory and forgiving," he said, adding that this had led some to think that they could take advantage.

He said that "had he been known to be very tough", Friday's incident may not have taken place.

"I should have said enough is enough. This is the effect of factionalism: hatred for each other."

In his speech earlier, he also called on members to work harder to win back public support after the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition lost four seats in a string of nine by-elections since the May 9 General Election last year.

PKR is the biggest component in the coalition which includes the Democratic Action Party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Amanah.

PH was trounced in the last by-election in Tanjung Piai, in Johor, on Nov 16 with the Barisan Nasional candidate winning in a landslide by more than 15,000 votes.

"We must learn from this, it is a reminder to all PH leaders," Mr Anwar said.

PH has seen its popularity decline since the general election in May last year, mainly due to unhappiness over bread and butter issues, a perception that the coalition has failed to fulfil its manifesto pledges and further alienation of Malay voters.

PKR's four-day congress ends on Sunday.