Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has rejected the resignation of its secretary-general Abdul Rahman Othman, said vice-president Azmin Ali today.

He said PKR's political bureau rejected the resignation during a meeting called about a week after Abdul Rahman tendered his letter late last month. PKR is the merged entity of Parti Keadilan Nasional (Keadilan) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM)

The decision was later unanimously endorsed by the party supreme council.

"We did not accept (Abdul Rahman's) resignation given his vast experience, credentials and networking.

"We felt that he could continue to contribute a lot to the party and he accepted our explanations," he said when contacted.

Abdul Rahman could not be reached for comment.

'External sabotage'

News of Abdul Rahman being retained followed rumours that PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali had expressed his intention to step down to allow the former to take over his post.

Syed Husin was believed to have conveyed his decision at a two-day retreat attended by PKR leaders over the weekend.

However, Azmin strongly denied the rumour.

"I swear in the name of God that Syed Husin has never said he wanted to resign and the matter was not discussed at all during the retreat," he stressed.

Another vice-president Tian Chua also dismissed the rumour, claiming that it was an 'external sabotage' against the party.

Tian Chua said the decision to retain Abdul Rahman as secretary-general had nothing to do with Syed Husin.

Prior to the merger of Keadilan and PRM last August, Abdul Rahman was the deputy president of Keadilan while the veteran Syed Husin was the president of the latter party.

"From the rumours, it seems there are people out there trying to split the party and prevent us from strengthening the party after PKR was given an official approval .

"Since Abdul Rahman tendered his resignation, there have been attempts to link it with Syed Ali, insinuating that the duo have differences. This is totally inaccurate," he said when contacted.

Internal matter

Asked why the party did not publicly announce that Abdul Rahman will be retained, he said the party saw this as an internal matter as even the former did not state his resignation openly.

He added that an English tabloid had ran the story while PKR did not release any official statements regarding this.

According to Tian Chua, the secretary-general had stated in his resignation letter that he felt that he was not 'suitable' to continue assuming the post.

Prior to him tendering his letter, a PKR Youth leader had urged him to quit over the last-minute postponement of the planned Black 14 demonstration outside the office of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia.