PKR warns party leaders over anti-Anwar conspiracy claims

Candidates vying for party posts told to guard ties with its partners.

(FMT) – PKR has embarked on a damage control exercise after its partners in Pakatan Harapan (PH) were angered by allegations of internal sabotage in the coalition aimed at stopping Anwar Ibrahim from leading the government.

Party leaders met with PH and PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad last night after he denied there was a campaign to scuttle plans for Anwar to replace him.

This comes after a PKR MP recently named Daim Zainuddin, the government’s chief adviser and a close aide of Mahathir, of being behind a campaign to stop Anwar from becoming the prime minister.

PKR communications chief Fahmi Fadzil said the election committee had issued a guideline and a reminder to members of campaign etiquette, and warned them of disciplinary action.

He said Rafizi Ramli and other candidates vying for posts in the party’s upcoming elections were told to avoid attacking PH partners.

“We must guard ties between the parties,” said Fahmi.

On Saturday, PKR’s Kapar MP Abdullah Sani who is in Rafizi’s camp accused Daim of being involved in a conspiracy against Anwar, saying this could be stopped if Rafizi replaced Mohamed Azmin Ali as the deputy president.

Yesterday, Mahathir said he was not aware of any such moves, and called for proof to back the claim.

PPBM leaders have criticised the suggestions of a conspiracy, and urged PKR to rein in those condemning partners in the PH coalition in the run-up to its internal polls.

PPBM Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan said PKR leaders must speak up against colleagues who showed no decorum in accusing certain quarters of blocking Anwar’s path to the prime ministerial office.

“The wild allegations and lies may be a culture for some but not in PPBM, where we have been taught by Mahathir to respect the camaraderie in PH,” said Wan Saiful.