SHAH ALAM: The move of two ‘feuding’ candidates vying for the PKR deputy president post – Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and Mohd Rafizi Ramli – to share a hug dominated the first day of the 13th PKR National Congress today.
It was also seen as the end of the intense rivalry and mud-slinging between the two while competing in the recent PKR Elections.
The gentlemanly attitude shown by both men were greeted with cheers and applause of more than 2,000 delegates who were in the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) in Shah Alam, during the debate session of presidential policy speech by Arau division deputy chief Tengku Nazeri Tengku Aldin.
“Today, I ask for Rafizi team and Azmin team to stop the fight, time (for election) is over,“ said Tengku Nazeri in his speech that was greeted by applause.
It was also witnessed by PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Apart from Tengku Nazeri, the issue of party elections and the feud between Azmin and Rafizi were also touched by others during the debate, including AKM (youth) representative Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir who urged party members to support both leaders.
“To Azmin and Rafizi, we support both of them and to all representatives, we all have bigger responsibility from here onwards, to appoint Anwar as the eighth prime minister,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar in a press conference also touched on the e-vote mechanism in the PKR elections to be reviewed as it posed various problems to a number of voters, especially those who were not computer savvy.
He personally described the previously used manual (ballot paper) system was better, therefore he would bring the matter to a special committee.
The PKR elections, which began in September, has been compounded by various problems including poor Internet access, hacking claims and the discovery of a jammer device allegedly utilised to sabotage the election proces.
The issues had caused dissatisfaction among the party members and candidates.
Meanwhile, yesterday’s congress also witnessed Wan Azizah delivered her last presidential policy speech after helming the party for nearly 20 years since its inception in 1999.
Wan Azizah stressed on the history of the party’s struggles since its inception and urged members not to forget about the reform agenda.
“Today we are enjoying the success of our efforts and the sacrifices of various parties, such as those faced by Anwar and many other party activists and leaders,“ said Wan Azizah who is also Deputy Prime Minister.
At the congress today, PKR delegates unanimously approved the motion to appoint Wan Azizah as the chairman of the newly created Party Advisory Council.
The congress to continue tomorrow with winding up session by key leaders before ending with an adjournment speech by the incoming president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. — Bernama
