Anwar’s remarks against his deputy caused 28 PKR Supreme Council members and MPs to issue a statement expressing their dissatisfaction

by NUR HAZIQAH A MALEK/ pic by ARIF KARTONO

PKR leaders called for party members to unite amid the ongoing altercation between its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

PKR VP Dr Xavier Jayakumar said it is important for all elected PKR members to work with the Pakatan Harapan government and leave the sex video investigation to the authorities.

“I reject gutter politics, but I also respect all laws. Investigations regarding the case should be surrendered to the police,” he said.

“We should also avoid any statement that is of a speculative nature and, thus, undermine our party in the eyes of the media,” Dr Jayakumar added.

Another VP, Zuraida Kamaruddin, said despite the cracks within PKR, it is time for the party to move forward.

“I think it is time for the party to begin consolidating and unite, so it’s up to the president (Anwar) to clean up the backyard.

“We should also reject gutter politics and search for the conspirators,” she said.

Anwar on Wednesday said Azmin should resign from his position if he is conclusively identified as the man in the video, to which Azmin replied: “Look at the man in the mirror”.

This has caused 28 PKR Supreme Council members and MPs to issue a statement expressing dissatisfaction over Anwar’s “inappropriate” remarks against Azmin.

“We are of the view that this statement is inappropriate and is based on speculative assertions.

“He should be focusing on the key issue here, that there is an organised

attempt to use gutter politics to bring down political leaders,” the statement read.

They added that Anwar should be more concerned about the criminal offences, which included a systematic and wide distribution of a video displaying sexual acts.

Among the signatories are Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, PKR VP Chua Tian Chang, PKR Women’s head Haniza Mohamed Talha and Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari.

In the meantime, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador (picture) said there is a high probability that the viral sex video implicating a minister is authentic.

However, Abdul Hamid said the result of facial recognition analysis for those implicated in the video is negative.

“It could not link those in the video with any individual,” the IGP said in a statement yesterday, adding that thousands of ringgit was paid for the video to cause unrest among the public.

“The Royal Malaysia Police’s (PDRM) investigation shows there was a ploy spearheaded by a political party leader aimed to shame and tarnish the reputation of certain individuals.”

Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said youths are tired of sex scandals.

“If only we could shift the time we spend on politics gossip and sex scandals to work for the youth, Malaysia would be a developed nation.

“The time we have stolen on sex scandals and cheap politics is the time that we owe the nation to its advancement,” he said.

Meanwhile, Perak PKR condemned the arrest and detainment of its chairman Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak on July 16, stating that there is a malicious attempt to link him to the sex video case.

“However, we want to assure all citizens and members of PKR throughout the state that we are not affected by this detention and we are asserting that he is innocent of these baseless allegations.

“We hope the legal process is transparent in this episode of arrest and slander of the state party’s chairman,” it said.

To show their solidarity for Farhash Wafa, some PKR members also plan to gather in front of the Bukit Aman police headquarters tomorrow night.