Sarawak PKR: Heed Kimanis warning and end internal strife

Sarawak PKR information chief Desmond Kho has called on the party leadership to recognise that the electorate is tired of the party's internal bickering and needs to unite.

Pointing to the show-cause letter issued to party vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin by the PKR disciplinary committee, Kho said this was an unwelcome development.

“We in Sarawak note with alarm that the PKR disciplinary committee has convened to issue a show-cause letter to Zuraida.

“Although it is no secret that Zuraida has always been supportive of PKR deputy president Azmin Ali’s efforts to develop and strengthen the party from within, this misconceived action by the disciplinary committee might be misconstrued," he told the Borneo Post.

Kho said that the result of the Kimanis by-election, as well as those in earlier by-election defeats, were clear messages from the electorate.

He said the show-cause letter looked like it was intended to stifle Zuraida and it would impact negatively on the party's grassroots supporters.

"This also goes directly against the wishes of our beloved party president Anwar Ibrahim, who has stated in no uncertain terms that the public is bored with the politicking within the party.

“Sarawak PKR calls for the party’s leadership to rescind the action and retract the disciplinary committee’s letter forthwith, without any condition, to avoid any unnecessary negative view of the party in the public sphere," Kho added.

Zuraida herself said on Sunday that she plans to respond to the show-cause letter.

While she declined to divulge on why it was issued, she hinted that it had something to do with a fiery speech she made during a gathering of Azmin supporters at the Renaissance Hotel last month.

On Dec 8 last year, at a dinner organised following a walkout after PKR's heated national congress, Zuraida had alleged that PKR president Anwar Ibrahim tried to convince her that a sex video allegedly featuring Azmin was real.

Zuraida also claimed that Anwar, in trying to convince her, went on to claim that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had requested for Anwar to sack Azmin.

At the time, Zuraida said, she also did not fear being dismissed from the party for her statements made against Anwar, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution and several other leaders.

Yesterday PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution advised Zuraida to stay calm and focus on responding to the letter, rather than be prejudiced and perceive elements of pre-judgment of her actions.