Top PKR officials strike reconciliatory tone at opening of national congress

Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told reporters that "if you dwell on these things, it doesn't go away, it becomes something that irks you". PHOTO: ST FILE

SHAH ALAM - Top officials in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) struck a reconciliatory tone at the opening of its national congress on Saturday (Nov 17) even as bad blood from divisive leadership polls threatened to boil over.

Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail skipped past a scathing attack on internal foes that was in her prepared policy address - her last as PKR president - telling reporters later that "if you dwell on these things, it doesn't go away, it becomes something that irks you".

"Whatever we have gone through maybe is the price we pay for the change of government. So what if they want to talk about where we stay?" she said.

Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, whose husband Anwar Ibrahim will replace her as party president uncontested, was referring to a mocking phrase "Bukit Segambut Palace" used by detractors who accuse her family of making party decisions without consulting other leaders.

She had refused to accuse "some members of losing direction, forgetting the basis of our struggle and slanderous attacks" as outlined in the speech text distributed to all 2,000 delegates.

This is PKR's first congress since the party became the mainstay of Malaysia's new government following the May 9 general election.

A faction led by outgoing vice-president Rafizi Ramli, had campaigned on the pretext of defending Datuk Seri Anwar - who is set to take over from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in about two years - from an alleged coup by deputy president Azmin Ali.

Although official results will only be confirmed on Sunday, Mr Rafizi's allies are largely facing defeat after nationwide voting spread across eight weekends which were fraught with irregularities, allegations of fraud and bribery and even arrests.

Mr Rafizi conceded the deputy presidency late on Friday after his protege Akmal Nasir won the youth leadership by a few dozen votes following a controversial recount.

His defeated rival, outgoing deputy youth chief Afif Bahardin, tore up a leaflet featuring Mr Rafizi's allies he alleged was placed in voting booths, saying in his closing speech at Friday's youth assembly "as thin as this, is the value of our party".

Dr Wan Azizah dismissed the incident, saying "young people have surges of feeling". In her speech, she exhorted her party "not to pay heed to rumours of betrayal".

Secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, a close ally of Mr Anwar, thanked "Rafizi and his team at Invoke Malaysia for being the game-changer", referring to the big data analytics outfit that targeted marginal seats in the May 9 general election.

"Due to your contributions, we have indeed slain Goliath," he said in his welcoming remarks.

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