Wan Azizah calls for end to party infighting

Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail speaking at the close of the Women and Youth wings’ national congress in Melaka on Dec 6, 2019. PHOTO: BERNAMA

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members must stop engaging in infighting and must rally together to ensure the party's strength and stability, Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has said.

She made these remarks when closing the annual meetings of the party's women and youth wings yesterday, after a shambolic day tainted by violence and fighting at the youth congress.

In her speech, she talked about party machinery being paid to campaign to defeat one's own friends.

"Friends would then be seen as the enemy that needs to be booted out of the party. I am worried about this phenomenon... Don't let our party be destroyed because of infighting," Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, who is PKR advisory council chairman, told about 1,000 delegates from the two wings.

"Stop fighting among ourselves as it will not benefit anyone," she said.

Her comments come amid a bitter power struggle between rival factions aligned with party president Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy Azmin Ali that appears to have continued despite an apparent truce reached between the two leaders on Wednesday.

Brawls ensued between security personnel and members of the pro-Azmin faction yesterday after the meeting organisers prevented some members from entering the hall for the youth wing's morning session.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is Datuk Seri Anwar's wife, acknowledged that the party had seen a lot of strife among its leaders and members since the start and that this was normal for an active party.

PKR celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, having been formed in the wake of street protests over Mr Anwar's sacking as deputy prime minister in 1998. It is the largest party in Malaysia's ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition.

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"It's a party, it's dynamic. If it's a dead party, it would be boring," Dr Wan Azizah told reporters jokingly at a press conference after her speech. But she said she "regretted" the violent incident that took place earlier at the youth meet and said there were "a lot of agents provocateurs probably". "Let the police do their investigations," she added.

Mr Anwar is set to deliver his keynote address at the national congress today for the first time as party president since winning the post uncontested last year.

The national congress is expected to be attended by nearly 3,000 delegates and will end tomorrow.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 07, 2019, with the headline Wan Azizah calls for end to party infighting. Subscribe