‘Attacks coming from within PKR’

(NST) – The PKR camp supporting Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had dismissed any suggestion that the aggressive attacks on the Selangor Menteri Besar came from outside the party.

Khalid’s political secretary Azman Abidin said he was convinced that the attacks were orchestrated by a “certain group” in PKR to remove Khalid.

He said the “group” will try everything until Khalid resigns and they would even pressure Anwar to ask for Khalid’s removal.

However, Azman stopped short of mentioning names despite insisting that the group had neither the authority nor weight to remove Khalid as only a consensus by PKR, DAP and Pas has the power to do so.

“It is not necessary for me to mention names because the whole country knows who has been eyeing the Menteri Besar position from day one,” he said, in a pointed reference to Khalid’s main PKR rival, Gombak member of parliament Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is also the party’s deputy pres ident.

Azman stressed that Khalid’s camp would not entertain such “desperate moves” by their rivals.

In fact, he said Khalid’s team will be asked not to make anymore public comments to the media, so as not to further heat up the issue.

“Khalid has also said that he would not entertain these kinds of tricks and dirty politics. He will just continue to work,” added Azman, in the phone interview with the New Straits Times yesterday.

“As far as we are concerned, Khalid will remain as the menteri besar until the end of the term,” he said.

Azman also called upon PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to take stern action against members who still make public comments on the issue.

He said he had a meeting with Anwar yesterday to discuss the infighting over Khalid’s position.

“We want Anwar to take stern action against those who still ignore party reminders and warnings against making public comments about the MB’s position.

“It is not good for the people to see PKR’s infighting as they want to see us fight Barisan Nasional, not fight among ourselves,” he said.

Azman’s meeting with Anwar came on the heels of two viral messages – a text message and a fake Bernama news alert – which were circulated on Monday, claiming that Khalid had sought an audience with the Selangor Sultan to resign and that Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad was to be sworn in.

Azman said he had discussed with Anwar on ways to cool down the bickering among party members over the issue.

“Perhaps the fighting now is because of the party elections. When we finish the re-elections, I think we will consolidate and discuss the future of the party,” he said.

Regarding the fake message and false news alert, Azman said it was a totally irresponsible act and urged the police to investigate the perpetrator behind it.