PKR must end Azmin-Khalid conflict
Swift action by PKR to end the conflict between Azmin and Khalid will portray the party as a truly democratic one.
Amir Ali, FMT
The conflict between PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, seen as the culprit in a long-standing and shameful political squabbling, and Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim risks destroying the image of the party in the wake of the coming general election.
In a democratic party, there will be such conflicts of interest that will arise from time to time but it is rare that such power struggle will spill over in the public arena via the media.
The very reason for the usual “secrecy” behind these internal struggles is that political parties tend to act fast in order to nip in the bud any dissension.
However, in the case of the Azmin-Khalid conflict which is now focused on the menteri besar’s political secretary Faekah Husin, the conflict has been allowed to go on for far too long.
In order to end such conflicts immediately, PKR should have created a committee to resolve these issues internally and swiftly. The committee must be composed of the grassroots and party leaders from other states who have the interest of the party at heart, not the interest of any of the personalities involved.
It should not involve de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim since he is known to be close to Azmin who was his personal secretary in the past. Party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail should also not be part of the committee as she is said to be close to Faekah.
Independent observers, too, can be invited to such a committee to deliberate on the issues involved in order to represent the people’s views in such conflicts.
The purpose of such a committee will be to listen to the grouses by the leaders in the conflict and the reasons for the differences in their views. The culprit should be punished by the party leadership after the submission of the report by the committee.
Murky political waters
As part of the punishment, the culprit should be suspended or even fired from all party and state posts in order to send a strong message.
It is only through such discipline that PKR will rise as a truly democratic party. This will encourage the masses to see the party in a new light, a democratic one.
