PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali has denied a news report that there are efforts to drop party secretary-general Rafizi Ramli over the issue of the formation of Pakatan Harapan.

Azmin instead claimed there is no internal rift and that the party is growing stronger by the day.

"No, PKR is increasingly getting stronger and plays an all-rounder role while sticking to the reform agenda.

"I believe the good discussions and consensus will continue," Azmin said at a press conference in Gombak, Selangor, today.

The Selangor menteri besar (photo) urged all quarters to stop unnecessary speculation about Rafizi and cited former Umno strongman but now disgraced leader Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik as an example.

"Don't ask me if I am defending Rafizi. If it's not true, why are we making speculation and slander?"

Rahim, the former Malacca chief minister was last week charged with making an allegedly seditious Facebook post that the Selangor Raja Muda Tengku Amir Shah was an apostate.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Special meeting on Rafizi?

The Malaysian Insider reported that a faction in PKR wants Rafizi Ramli removed as secretary-general following friction in the party over the formation of the new opposition pact, Pakatan Harapan.

A report quoting a source within the party leadership said the Pandan MP's fate would be determined by the party's leadership council at a special meeting on Sunday , which was called to discuss a petition on Pakatan Harapan submitted by 25 council members.