KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Despite his sarcastic tweet that appeared to be taking a jab at PKR’s secretary-general yesterday and his open statement criticising the latest appointments of top leaders in his party by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali today denied that he and the latter are at loggerheads.
“No. Not true,” he said when asked to confirm if his tweet to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) member Wan Saiful Wan Jan, after the latter’s open complaint of corruption in PPBM’s Perlis chapter, is a definitive signal of soured ties with Anwar, who is his party president.
PKR lawmaker Maria Chin Abdullah had initially tweeted her support for Wan Saiful, who had alleged corrupt practices in Perlis PPBM, the same day the state chapter dropped Wan Saiful as Perlis PPBM secretary.
“Support you @wansaiful. That’s what the people voted for,” Maria tweeted.
Azmin then replied to Maria saying: “It’s better to criticise internally. Many platforms have been provided for such criticism. Sounds familiar. Hehehe.”
The Economic Affairs Minister’s public complaint about recent appointments to the PKR leadership had triggered censure from Anwar and secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, both of whom advised Azmin not to use the media to raise internal party issues.
Saifuddin had yesterday said Azmin should route his grievances through party channels instead of saying it in public.
Saifuddin said the party allows members and leaders to state their concerns through various avenues such as its annual congress, the party central leadership council meeting (MPP), the weekly political bureau meetings and circulars from his office.
Saifuddin comments came after Azmin’s insistence that his media statement on internal party matters was only issued after using “proper channels” and that he had first relayed his concerns to Anwar.
Azmin, in his press statement, had asked Anwar to review key appointments in the party after Rafizi Ramli, who had lost to Azmin the PKR deputy presidential race, was named the vice-president. Saifuddin was appointed secretary-general.
Azmin also said the appointments, made after a fierce contest in the party polls, should take into account the views of party grassroots.
