Azmin: Views of PKR leaders should have been sought in PD move

(The Sun Daily) – The views of PKR leaders should have been taken into consideration before the party announced Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s candidacy for the Port Dickson parliamentary seat.

PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (pix) said the concerns of party leaders should have been addressed, prior to the announcement.

However, Azmin said the main priority now was to ensure victory for Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the Port Dickson polls.

“Our aim now is to ensure the seat remains with us,” the Gombak MP said during a press conference after a PKR ceramah at SP Arena here on Thursday night.

Following the announcement of the PKR president-elect’s candidacy, several senior party leaders like Tian Chua and Zuraida Kamaruddin claimed that they were not briefed on the matter.

However party secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution said that a consensus was reached on the matter following a political bureau meeting prior to the announcement.

Meanwhile, Azmin also slammed certain quarters who have been questioning his loyalty to the party.

Azmin who is also Economic Affairs Minister, said he had been with the party through thick and thin under all circumstances from the early days of the reformasi movement.

“I do not need to kiss someone’s hand to show my loyalty,” he said during his speech at the ceramah.

He said reformists in the party should be respected for their sacrifices during the time when Anwar was arrested, which subsequently led to the reform movement.

Azmin also urged party members to be united and refrain from making slanderous remarks against each other.

“We are in power now after (PH) took over Putrajaya, so we need to do our part in fulfilling our promises to the people and not argue among ourselves,” he stressed.

At a press conference later, Azmin also brushed aside rumours of him leaving the party, saying it was absolutely baseless.