GE14 | Anti-corruption NGO Hisbah Centre for Reform chairperson Ezam Mohd Noor is no stranger to the Reformasi circuit after he left Umno for the first time in 1998 and became one of the founders of Parti Keadilan Nasional, as PKR was then known.

At a Harapan ceramah in Taman Medan, Ezam tonight declared his full backing for PKR deputy president Azmin Ali to remain as Selangor menteri besar.

"I came to give my support to Azmin because I want to be a responsible Selangor citizen.

"Our duty is to support a menteri besar who works hard and is full of commitment.

"Do not support a corrupt menteri besar," said Ezam to cheers from some 1,000 people who gathered for the ceramah featuring Azmin as well as Harapan candidates for state seats Taman Medan, Seri Setia, Bukit Gasing and Petaling Jaya parliamentary seat.

As a true blue Selangorian, Ezam said he has a duty to defend the caretaker MB who worked hard to develop the state, although admitting that both of them have had their fair share of differences.

Ezam was the first speaker of the night and he fired up the crowd with memories of how he was among the early founders of PKR who had recited their oath of allegiance in Taman Medan.

Twenty years have passed since PKR was founded and Ezam had gone around a full circle or more as he quit PKR to rejoin Umno, but later left the ruling party for the second time.

Both Ezam and Azmin had quit Umno following Anwar's sacking as deputy prime minister in 1998.

In 2007, while Ezam was the PKR Youth chief and Azmin was the PKR vice-president, they were engaged in a public spat.

Ezam had at the time attacked Anwar, accusing him of being a "weak dictator" and claiming that Azmin was controlling the PKR leader.

Former PKR Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusof, who took to the stage before Azmin's arrival at around 11pm, also recalled how Taman Medan was the site where the early Reformasi movement had begun.

"Do all of you remember Ezam?" asked Yusmadi to cheers of "Yes!" from the crowd.

"Our struggle had begun here in Taman Medan," said Yusmadi who urged the voters to continue their struggle for change in Putrajaya.