Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin described the remark by PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yesterday as an attempt "to salvage a sinking ship."

   

batu sapi by electon muhyiddin speech 291010 In her keynote address at the PKR congress, Wan Azizah said the notions of "ketuanan Melayu" (Malay supremacy) should be abandoned so that the younger generation would grow up with the vision of "dignified race" or "dignified Malay."

   

Muhyiddin said the statement was made in an attempt to win the support of the people at a time when the party was in disarray following a divisive party election.

   

Muhyiddin said PKR leaders should respect Article 153 of the Federal Constitution which provides a safeguard for the special position of the Malays and Bumiputera as well as the interests of other communities.

   

This provision should serve as a guiding principle in championing the cause of the people, he said. "However, it seems that this is not the case with PKR."

Speaking to reporters after visiting the Malaysian Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, Muhyiddin said there were an increasing number of PKR members who were dissatisfied with the party.

   

"Many have left and party branches and divisions closed. The recent party elections demonstrated how in disarray the party has become.

   

"They talk about principles, about fighting for democracy but this does not seem to be a practice in the party," he said.

   

pkr convention 281110 wan azizah wan ismail On Wan Azizah's statement that PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim was "a great man bestowed by God" to be the leader of the people, Muhyiddin said, Wan Azizah ( right ) should be realistic in her assessment.

   

He said Wan Azizah might have uttered the statement out of love for her husband and therefore the remark was more personal in nature.

"But if she had said that in the context of politics, the statement did not seem to be in line with the public's perceptions of Datuk Seri Anwar," he said.

   

Meanwhile in Georgetown, Puteri Umno chief Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said Wan Azizah had gone overboard with her praise of Anwar.

   

She said that the remark was an attempt to rally party supporters to stand by the party.

   

"She herself didn't seem to be very sure when she read that part of her speech. Puteri Umno hopes that the PKR president will reflect back on her statement," she said.

- Bernama