Is Azmin’s political career coming to a grinding halt?
Sources reveal friction between minister and other Bersatu leaders
(The Vibes) – Once touted as the next future deputy prime minister, Bersatu supreme council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali may see his political career come to a standstill.
Following his attempts to set up a new political party called Parti Negara Malaysia (PNM) last year, sources revealed that the Gombak MP is now purportedly pondering his political future.
Attempts to set up PNM failed to materialise following issues pertaining to its registration with the Registrar of Societies.
“Azmin has since reignited negotiations with a dormant political party. He plans to use this as a bargaining tool and has even threatened to pull out all PKR MPs from Bersatu if the DPM position is not given to him,” said a source familiar with the matter.
It is learnt that the international trade and industry minister insists that the DPM position remains his as apparently promised to him by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when he was the prime minister.
The source who spoke on the condition of anonymity also claimed that another promise was made to Azmin – that all sexual allegations related to him would be dropped altogether.
“However, this seems to have backfired as the allegations were now actually being used to ‘control’ Azmin and his supporters.
“Azmin is already beginning to convey the message to his supporters that he has had enough of this and is already feeling the pressure.
“There is also too much bureaucracy and hostility from the original Bersatu leadership and this is straining the relationship.”
Since joining Bersatu, Azmin has been trying to consolidate his position within the Umno splinter party by aiming for top positions in the party and cabinet.
“It is an open secret among the party’s circles that he has been eyeing the deputy president post and is set to take on Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu when the party polls are called.
“During the protracted negotiations for the cabinet posts following Muhyiddin’s resignation, he was jostling for the DPM post against Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
“These schemes and moves have left Bersatu leaders with an uneasy and testy relationship with Azmin,” the source said.
