The people of Kajang should be grateful that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, a world class and great leader, will be contesting in their constituency in the coming by-election, Selangor PKR chief Mohamed Azmin Ali said today.

"We have known that Anwar is a world leader. He not only belongs to the people in Kajang, Selangor and Malaysia, but Islamic countries in the Middle East also need his leadership, while developing and developed countries see Anwar as able to bring changes to this country," Azmin said.

“He’s a great leader, he’s not a common politician, but a statesman who’s willing to parachute to Kajang to help the Selangor government,” he said.

"As such, the people of Kajang should be grateful that this world (class) leader is now descending in Kajang to join the struggle," he said during a briefing for the PKR by-election machinery.

“Don’t listen to the media’s reports, which will launch attacks (against us) and create stories, this is a big and accurate decision, it’s not easy for the community in general (masyarakat biasa) to understand, how a great leader like Anwar Ibrahim, who was once touted as a candidate for premier, today descending to Kajang,” he said.

He said, Pakatan’s parties must dare to take the risk in making a decision for the sake of Selangor’s future, adding that those who dare not aren’t fighting for the cause of struggle.

Azmin also challenged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to contest in Kajang.

When the crowd and PKR members shouted that BN should field Rosmah Mansor, Azmin sardonically said, “We want a great leader. Only her hair is big.”

Azmin defended former Kajang state assemblyperson Lee Chin Cheh, who was present, for making a big sacrifice for the party’s struggle.

He brushed off the critics who alleged that PKR has betrayed the voters’ trust, saying, “This is not betrayal, betrayal is hopping from the party and failing to take care of the interests of the people.”

‘No internal action against Lee’

No internal action would be taken against Lee, as he had tendered his resignation following a consensus in the party, Azmin told a press conference later.

Pakatan’s top leadership had arrived at a consensus in last night’s meeting to make sure Anwar will get a bigger majority in the by-election.

He, however, said that he was aware of the sentiment of Pakatan’s allies in Selangor and will meet Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad and Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua by tomorrow and Feb 3 respectively.

He said, the previous meeting have not touched on the topic of the menteri besar candidate, and only focussed on the by-election.

To a question on why PKR was not fielding someone younger, Azmin said at least Anwar is younger and more energetic than former premier Mahathir Mohamad.

PKR today conducted a party by-election machinery briefing at Kampung Sg Sekamat, a stronghold of BN, where some 200 members and supporters attended, together with Lee Chin Cheh, who apologised during his speech.