KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — PKR deputy president Azmin Ali rubbished today reports that some of his party leaders want Rafizi Ramli removed as his office as secretary-general and insisted that all is well within the party.

He also warned journalists not to spread rumours and lies, or else they would suffer the same fate as ex-Malacca Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik — who is currently facing a sedition charge over a Facebook posting.

"PKR is strong, there is no problem.

"If it is not true why speculate? Do not give in to speculation and the culture of lies," he told reporters after officiating the groundbreaking ceremony of a mosque in Gombak, Selangor.

Azmin added that PKR's main priority would be to engage itself with all political parties "interested" in reform agendas.

Despite denials by PKR's top leaders, Pakatan Harapan's launch last month has left many of the party's members rattled as they claim the haste in officiating the new coalition could potentially affect their ties with PAS.

Shortly after the announcement on September 22, 25 PKR central committee members signed a petition demanding a special meeting this Sunday to discuss the issue of Pakatan Harapan's formation, which they believe to have been rushed and made to look as if the new coalition was not interested in preserving ties with the conservative Islamist party.

PKR deputy president Azmin has denied claims of a split in PKR’s ranks over the formation of Pakatan Harapan, despite acknowledging a petition on the matter signed by 25 PKR central committee members.

In a petition dated September 22, 25 PKR central committee members had purportedly said that the launch of Pakatan Harapan was not in line with PKR central committee decision made two days before the Pakatan Harapan roundtable.

The PKR leaders reportedly said they were surprised by the hasty formation, which was announced by PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail immediately after the roundtable discussion.

But Azmin has sought to play down the issue, saying that handing in petitions was “normal” for PKR.

Last month, PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara — which broke away from PAS — announced the formation of a new coalition to replace Pakatan Rakyat (PR), and extended an invitation for PAS to join.

During the launch, Dr Wan Azizah said the alliance will be named “Pakatan Harapan”, and that it will push for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be prime minister if it defeats Barisan Nasional.

Critics have however questioned the hastiness of the launch, and the lack of proper policies which would differentiate Pakatan Harapan from its predecessor PR.

* An earlier version of this story misreported Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik as facing a defamation charge. Malay Mail Online apologises for the error, which has since been corrected.